The Weight of Motherhood (Jensen Nicholson)

Being a mother is truly one of my greatest blessings. It’s something I prayed about for

years, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Being a mom is the best, but it’s also a huge

responsibility.

My son is now 19 months old, and he’s so much fun. As a newborn up until he was

seven or eight months old, he had a few health problems that kept us in a doctor’s office

frequently. So much of my time and energy was spent trying to find answers and solutions for his problems. I would have done anything to have him 100% healthy. His physical health was a top priority. Thanks be to God, those issues are resolved now, and he’s a happy, healthy boy. Going through all of that made me quickly realize I’d do anything for my son. I was in God’s ear constantly on his behalf begging for him to be better. As important as his physical health is to me, I realize his spiritual health is what’s most important. Now is the time that we need to build that foundation in his life. I’m so thankful that I have a husband who is a great example for Silas. He has already learned to pray, even though only the Lord himself could understand those words. He knows so many church songs and all the little motions to go with them. His favorite is, “Hide it under a bushel… No! I’m gonna let it shine!” My prayer is that he’ll always want to let his light shine.

As a parent, you want your child to be successful in everything. We want them to get

good grades and be good at their sports. So many parents spend a huge amount of time and money investing in their child’s talent to make sure they’re the best. We sign them up for travel ball and all the special training we can find. We make sure they’re at every practice and make them practice at home too. How much time do we invest in their souls? I’ve come to realize all of those things I mentioned previously do NOT matter when you consider eternity. Investing in their souls and leading them to Jesus is what matters.

It's not unheard of for people to find Jesus as adults. However, it’s much more likely for

them to follow Jesus if they’re taught as children. We’re shaping Silas’s foundation now by what we teach him in our home. This is not just what we speak to him but also how we act, because he’ll see all of that. He’ll see if God is truly our top priority. He’ll see if we make time to go to church. He’ll see if we spend time reading our Bibles or if we spend our time doing frivolous things. He’ll see how we treat each other in our marriage. He’ll see all of these things, and he’ll remember them. Having a child is like having an extra little accountability partner. We all need that.

This can feel like a heavy weight at times, but I try to view it as a great privilege. I (along

with my husband) GET to be the ones he learns from. We get to love him and show him how to love God and others. In the end, our children will grow up and make their own decisions. I know wonderful Christian people who raised their kids in the Lord, and when they grew up, they left the faith. BUT, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try. Adam and I both grew up in Christian homes, and our parents helped build our foundation of faith. They showed us what’s most important, and it stuck with us.

We want to provide Silas with that same strong foundation, and we’ll spend the rest of

our lives praying that he’ll serve God and spend eternity in Heaven.

While the weight of being a mom is heavy, it’s not burdensome. God trusted me with this

precious soul, and I want to lead that soul to him. Thank you Lord for the opportunity to be a

mother!

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A little bit about Jensen...

Jensen Nicholson is married to Adam, and they have one son, Silas. They reside in Ardmore, AL and attend Ephesus church in Athens. Jensen loves God and has a passion for writing about spiritual things. She has written two books, God Then Us, and Hope for a Houseful.