A Word to the Expectant Mother

You can’t afford to give an ear to all the voices that are trying to speak into you right now. Your heart is the place from which your very life flows.

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To the Expectant Mother:

This journey we’re on – the one of bringing life into the world – it’s amazing, isn’t it? It takes me by surprise all over again every day.

It’s truly a miracle and brings with it a whole new world of dreams, emotions, and things to learn. One moment, I’m praying over this child…the next, I’m thinking about the shower guest list I still haven’t started, which naturally reminds me of a newborn care book I want to read soon. And then there are the rushes of sheer excitement and almost disbelief that this wonderful thing really is happening.

In the midst of all this dreaming and planning, if there were only one thing I could say to you, my pregnant friend, it would be this:

Guard your heart.

While it’s true that everyone needs to be guarding their hearts, you, Expectant Mother, are in a beautiful season where this need is magnified. Exponentially magnified.

You’ve started an entirely new journey in carrying this child… and suddenly, many voices are vying for your attention as you navigate this new terrain of pregnancy and motherhood.

There’s the voice of your peers, the ones who are already raising children. They’ve been through pregnancy, childbirth, and the newborn stage before and are excited to share lots of things with you.

There’s the voice of your family, which might be a partly encouraging, partly discouraging presence in your life. Some are sharing in your joy, some may be silent, and some may be warning you about all that you’re “in for” while they laugh condescendingly.

There’s the voice of the media with its endless articles, scientific studies, celebrity postpartum weight loss secrets, and how-to lists. If given an ear, this voice, too, has mixed effects on your inner life. Some things arouse fear, while others reinforce your insecurities by overwhelming you.

There’s the voice of the medical community, which usually means well but can be very cut and dry. They have “tests” to offer you, “scenarios” to think about, and “indicators” they’re checking for. This, too, is a voice whose sound may bring peace or may stir up uncertainty in your heart.

There’s also the voice of the general public. This voice is raised while you’re out and about or interacting with people on social media. Various opinions are thrown at you, tacked on with complimentary “advice” and warnings of everything you’re about to “lose” by having this child. And within the realm of social media, there’s a constant invitation to measure yourself and your pregnancy using the false gauge of “likes” or comparison to other people.

Of course, there’s your own voice, too – the one that talks when you’re looking at things through your natural eyes. This logical sounding voice may have you calculating the medical bills, trying to figure out what certain parts of your life are going to look like after the baby comes, or overthinking your pregnancy weight gain.

There’s also the voice of your enemy. This is an important one to recognize. He’s not taking these nine months off. He knows where you are weak and vulnerable, and he’s sure to jab at you in those precise places. It might be in your dreams at night or through another’s negative words, but somehow, he’s trying to get an inroad to your heart.

Friend, listen to me for a second. Lean in close.

You are hosting a life.

You can’t afford to give an ear to all the voices that are trying to speak into you right now. Your heart is the place from which your very life flows (Prov. 4:23). Its condition is setting the atmosphere for both you and your child.

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Above all these voices vying for your attention, the one I pray you give your ear to is His.

“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” (Matt. 11:28-30).

Sister, you have not been left on your own to figure out pregnancy and motherhood. You have a very present Shepherd who has green pastures for you to lie down in, quiet waters to sit beside, and a banquet table at which you can feast. Put your hand in the one He’s extending to you, and let Him lead you through this precious season.

Put down the articles. Stop Googling stuff. Keep your Holy Spirit filter over your ears and heart in every conversation. Reject negative and foreboding words. Know your enemy and command him to flee when he rears his ugly head. Don’t buy into all the warnings of what you’ll never enjoy again or never be allowed to do as a mother.

Lean in close to your Shepherd. Consume His Word daily. Quiet yourself and make room for Him to speak a fresh word. Sing to Him. Voice your adoration of who He is. Declare the truth and promises of God over your child. Gird yourself in His armor. Agree with His goodness and extravagant love.

If you are a child of God, you are under His dominion. Only His words have authority in your life and your child’s. So Momma,

Guard your heart.

Shut out all the noise,

And cling to Him with all that you are.

This is an updated version of a blog post originally posted on hayleyhewitt.com. 

Featured Image By Heather Mount

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About the Author

Crafting for His Glory.