By Andrea Fortenberry

“The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil; he will erase their memory from the earth. The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those who spirits are crushed.” Psalm 34:15-18 NLT

The morning routine can crush my spirit sometimes. A few weeks ago I felt a heavy weight on my chest that made it hard to breathe. It had been one of those mornings where my daughter pressed me on everything: she didn’t like what I made for breakfast. She didn’t like how I did her hair. She didn’t like what I packed in her lunchbox. Mercy!

After she finally left the house for school, I warmed the now cold eggs I had made that she didn’t appreciate or eat. I sat down and felt like I was on an emotional teeter-totter not knowing whether to just lose it or to remind myself of the truth I just recently wrote and posted about: that it’s an honor to be the servant of the household. There is great honor in being a mother. But it sure doesn’t feel like it on days like these.

Grateful for a quiet moment to eat, I opened my Bible to read my daily chapter. Instead of turning to Revelation, where I’d been reading, I turned to the Psalms. When this Mama needs help, this is so often where I turn. I flipped through and saw some underlining on Psalm 34 and read it. Oh, how God shows up when we seek Him!

As I read this verse with my Mama heart wounded, I came away encouraged, especially after verse 15: “The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help.” I breathed a sigh of relief! 

We Mamas are those who do right every day: we kiss boo-boos, we wash clothes, we make meals, we play Legos, we watch endless episodes of children’s TV, we clean up toys, we help with homework, we give baths, we tuck kids into bed and the list goes on and on.

We are doing right every day and probably more often than we give ourselves credit for. In all of this doing right, we sure can get weary and our souls can feel bogged down. But it brings gladness to my heart that the Lord’s ears are open to my cries for help! He waits for me to call out to Him in the midst of all that I do for my family. 

When my children were newborns and I cried out to God for help (especially with my colicky daughter), I often wondered how many other Mamas were also awake in the dead of night rocking their babes. God hears their cries for help. I bet the Lord also hears collective cries for help from His Mama daughters in the mornings as we wrestle kids into clothes for the day or as we dash out the door to school.

If you’re a Mama with a crushed spirit today, remember who is watching over you. God hears your every call for help. We don’t have to go through our days alone: He is close to us as we walk this motherhood journey!

About the Author:

Andrea is a writer, speaker, and Bible teacher who provides encouragement and hope to women based upon Biblical truths. She loves to help people seek and see God in their everyday life.

Her writing and speaking are focused on marriage, motherhood, friendship, and faith.

Andrea lives with her husband of 14 years and two children, ages ten and seven, in the suburbs of Phoenix, AZ. And loves traveling, wandering around bookstores, and meeting with friends over a delicious chai latte.

You can find Andrea at www.andreafortenberry.com or Instagram and Facebook @andreafortenberry.