I woke up the other day completely exhausted emotionally and physically. I had one of those days where my body, mind, and soul were just so weary and tired.
Have you ever had one of those days?
Have you ever felt hopeless?
Have you ever felt like just giving it all up?
I go back and forth feeling encouraged my son is progressing then I see a setback and feel discouraged again. Satan wants us to be discouraged, to give up, and to cave in. I won't allow that to happen.
Being a mom, in general, can be exhausting at times. We are the queens of multi-tasking for sure. When we add that one or more of our children has unique needs that can put an additional stress on what is needed from us.
I used to feel overwhelmed more early on when my son was just diagnosed with autism. What I mean by that is feeling pressure to know all the answers, to help him talk, to help him eat more, to calm his tears (well really screams), and to understand fully what autism really means.
My hope is in Christ and what peace he gives me every single day.
There are 3 things you can do to feel hope when you are feeling discouraged.
- Read the Bible- Reading God's Word can bring you so much hope. I love to read the Psalms when I am discouraged in particular. Spending time with God and reading his words are so peaceful and encouraging.
- Reach out to a friend- Talking to a friend and either venting or sharing your discouragement can help so much. Friends can give guidance and insight when they are out of the situation. They can give you hope for the big picture.
- Focus on the positive- Negative self-talk can take away all hope. Don't do it! When the negative self-talk starts replace it with what you are grateful for. There are always things that you can be grateful for. Focus on the positive. You can do it!
I love worship music. When I am discouraged I recite verses (Truth!) and I also sing worship music in the car really loud. (shhh that is a secret!) I sing worship music and proclaim the truth. It fills me up with lots of Hope! The following music by Tenth Avenue North has really encouraged me. I hope you enjoy it! Fill your heart with joy and hope!
