How Moms Can Deal with Isolation (Part 1)

Photo: R.A. Navarrete

I am a bit hyperactive, I have trouble sitting still, and I am extremely extroverted. So put me in my home with a newborn for 4 weeks with very few trips out of the house and even fewer adult interactions, and it makes for a big dose of isolation. Many of you may feel isolated for various reasons, so this is what God showed me today about isolating circumstances.

1. Our greatest joy should come from expanding God's Kingdom. As I was home alone with two babies this morning, I tuned in to First Baptist Church on TV.  The sermon was about Paul being on house arrest, but he was able to rejoice in his circumstances because God was working to introduce more people to Jesus Christ. It may have been different than Paul expected because he was a preacher, so he would prefer to be out preaching and teaching. But instead, Paul realized and trusted that God was doing a greater work somehow. Paul's circumstance produced encouragement and the challenge for other Christians to step up and fill his empty shoes, since he was unable to preach. Also, Paul had opportunities to witness to the Romans that were guarding him. Whatever situation we find ourselves in has a God-ordained purpose, but if we focus on the negatives, we will miss God-given opportunities such as praying with our kids or reading the Bible or talking to a neighbor.

2. The only one who is always with us and never lets us down is Jesus. One song I heard today said: "I lift my eyes up to the hills where my help comes from. God is the source of my strength and the strength of my life. So I will give total praise to Him." The more we can focus on Jesus instead of ourselves, the better perspective we will have on our life and what we currently face. Life as a parent is not easy, and we constantly need God's help. But we likely won't realize how much He is helping us if we are not seeking Him. If you are a Martha like me, you are a do-er. But in some cases, we cannot do certain things like normal. For example, I cannot jog, return to work, or even go to church yet because my little Dominic nurses every 2-3 hours and the flu is running rampant in Columbia right now. I also cannot cook and clean like I want to because the baby needs to be held or my older kids need my attention. Staying home with limited ability to "do" means that I must spend more time "being." I can be in God's presence, be in prayer, be in the Word, be a good mom, be still, be present for my children.

3. Being home with our children is a high calling. Because I like my work as a Physical Therapist and feel a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment doing it, sometimes it is difficult to be home instead of at work. But over the duration of my life, how I raise and influence my children matters the most. As a mom, this is our highest calling, even more than our jobs or ministries or friends. It is hard to be home, and often our work as a mom is more difficult and stressful than going to work. So we need the right perspective to not get bogged down with diapers, discipline, noise, housework, and all the other mothering tasks on our to-do lists. Think of what we want to teach our kids: kindness, obedience, honesty, forgiveness, morality, proper attitudes, faith, values. Are we setting a good example of these qualities? Are we spending time teaching these to our children? Sometimes it may take a change of mindset or priorities to remember that raising our kids is our most important job. Think about the impact of a good mom; we have the potential to shape the futures of our kids, which will shape our grandchildren and every generation to come. So now is your opportunity to leave your legacy!