What I need as a mother is grace.
God’s grace, that allows me to fail and try again,
that allows me to ask for help when I don’t have the wisdom or patience that I need,
that reminds me we’re not alone in this,
and that God loves my son even more than I do.
And grace from other mothers.
I need grace and truth-telling and camaraderie from other moms.
I need us to tell the truth about how hard it is,
and I need us to help each other,
instead of hiding behind the pretense and pressure of perfection.
~ Shauna Niequist, Bittersweet, p114 ~
There are some moments these days, since the miscarriage,
when I feel like a failure
because my body wasn’t able to do what so many other women’s bodies can.
I see them with their kids, a year apart, one after another.
That will never be true for me and for our family.
I’ll always remember, even if we do have more children someday,
the loss we experienced last summer.
But what has healed me more than anything else
are the stories of other women who have experienced similar things.
I’ve needed grace,
and I’ve needed women who share their sorrows with me,
and allow me to share my own.
~ Shauna Niequist, Bittersweet, p114 ~
Bobbi shared this quote earlier on facebook and then I read your blog post and it seemed so fitting.
“The Christian needs another Christian who speaks God’s Word to him. He needs him again and again when he becomes uncertain and discouraged… He needs his brother man as a bearer and proclaimer of the divine word of salvation. He needs his brother solely because of Jesus Christ. The Christ in his own heart is weaker than the Christ in the word of his brother; his own heart is uncertain, his brother’s is sure.”
Bonhoeffer, Life Together
Love you Melissa!
Yes! Amen!!
Amen. Thank you for being one of those women who shares your experience and shares your sorrows with us, and for allowing me to share mine with you.