For some reason this morning, my mind  has been hovering over the hearts of mothers.  Young mothers and old.  Mothers with a houseful of little ones and those who are experiencing an empty nest for the first time.  Moms who are struggling with teenage drama and rebellion.  Mamas whose kids are fighting disease.  Weary first time moms who fantasize about sleep.  Moms who are transitioning into grandmothers and grandmothers who are becoming great-grandmothers.  Moms who live far away from their grown children and those who are under the same roof agains with adult children who are struggling.

From the moment we first conceive we begin the adventure of being a mom.  We experience love in a way we never thought possible.  A devotion and ;protectiveness that surprises us.

And worry.  With great love comes great concern.  We worry we find out we’re pregnant.  Will be baby be healthy and strong?  We worry when the go through colic and are cutting their first teeth.  When they begin walking, we are fearful of anything that might trip on or run into.

We worry about how they will fit in when they start school.  We worry about the friends they’ll make, the grades they’ll get.  We dread the thought of them picking up bad habits and hope they have good manners.

As they grow and mature, the list of worries doesn’t seem to shrink.  It just changes.  We worry about their choices, their ability to face the adult world successfully.  We worry about who they will marry and after they marry and begin having babies, we will worry about those babies as well.

As moms, we never seem to outgrow the ability to worry about our children.

Why do we worry?  I can only speak for myself here, but I believe it begins with the immense love we have for our children.  We want to protect and keep them from getting hurt, from going the wrong way or doing the wrong thing. We want only the best for them, and nothing less.  If we could throw ourselves in front of any danger they might face, we would.  If we could carry every one of their burdens and take the brunt of any mistakes they make we would.  But we know that we can’t.  We know that life experiences, good and bad, are what help them grow their wings and become deeper, better, more mature people.  Still, the loss of the ability to protect and dare I say, control or maintain their lives is frightening.  Worry wraps its fingers around our hearts like a tight fist.

But there’s an antidote for worry.  There is something that can loosen the fingers of worry and let our hearts beat strongly again.  It’s trust.  Not in our own abilities as mothers (which, of course are phenomenal!) or even in our children.  It’s bigger than that.  It’s trusting the One who loves our children even more than we do.  Their Creator, Father and the Lover of their souls.  It’s knowing that He has a very good plan for them that is unique to each of them in its timing and process.  It’s believing that He is their Advocate and biggest Fan and that He is “working all things for good”.

Worry looks at the unknown and fears it.  Trust looks at the Known and believes Him.  Worry offers a death grip on our hearts.  Trust releases that grip and lets our hearts enjoy new life and breath.

There is a story in Matthew where mommies are bringing their babies and children to Jesus to have Him bless them.  Jesus’ disciples see this as just a noisy distraction for Jesus and that He needs to do.  But Jesus sees it differently.    He sees that blessing these children IS all that He needs to do at that moment.  He loves them.  He gathers them in His arms and holds them.  And then He pours His promise of blessing over them, right there in front of their mamas.  But those moms had to bring them to that place – to Jesus – and release their grip on them so that Jesus could personally touch their lives in a profound way.

Wherever you are in your mommy adventure, know that Jesus loves your kids truly, madly, deeply.  He is good and He has a very, very good plan…