I meant to make this post way earlier, but it’s been a rough few weeks. My mysterious fever kept coming back, baffling my midwife and the ER doctor alike. The latter prescribed antibiotics for a possible UTI and so far, it seems to be working! Praise God. We had a couple other appointments and concerns and lots of fussy-baby-sleep-deprived nights, but I think we can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.
So today I wanted to share some thoughts I wrote down a while ago. Hopefully they will encourage you as well as myself. This post speaks especially to motherhood, unsurprisingly, but the concept of “living sacrifice” applies to any season. Enjoy some thoughtful words and cute pictures of baby Sophia!
Over the past few weeks, Romans 12:1 has been playing on repeat in my head: “present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” I know Paul wasn’t talking specifically to moms, but it feels so applicable.
Motherhood seems to be summed up in this verse. For nine months, my body stretched to hold my daughter; for eighteen hours it worked hard to bring her into the world. I will carry the scars of holding her inside me long after she’s outgrown being held in my arms. My belly is covered in purple stretch marks where my skin grew past its boundaries. My neck and shoulders ache with the unfamiliar weight of a nine-pound baby. These days overflow with blood, sweat, tears, and milk.
But the time when this verse most comes to mind is in the middle of the night. It’s been two hours, and she’s hungry again. I am the only one who can give her what she needs right now, and in two hours, and two hours again, and over and over. The giving hurts. It makes me bite my tongue sometimes so I don’t cry out and wake my husband. Sometimes, though, more every day, the pain is gone in an instant and I can relax and admire my sweet girl.
I lay in bed with my daughter on my chest and my husband curled up in the lamplight. 3am, and all the world is asleep. Most of the time, I wish I was too. I do not like pain. I complain instantly about discomfort. I do not like waking up so often to the cries of a baby who can’t do anything for herself yet.
I have missed so many morning devotions and Bible studies in the past three weeks. But I’ve learned another form of love. This tired body is holy and acceptable to God. This sacred task, this full-body sacrifice, is my spiritual worship. It’s serving God in the place He has put me with everything I have to give. It’s praying for His strength when all I have is exhaustion and weakness.
Writing this makes me sound noble and courageous, but I’m not brave – bravery is persevering through trials with a good attitude. Most of the time, it’s all I can do to persevere with a bad one. I’m writing this to remind myself of the right perspective the next time my fever comes back or I grit my teeth in pain that should be gone by now.
Next time, I hope I remember how this taking up my cross is fashioning me more into the image of the true Living Sacrifice. I hope I’ll remember how one night when all the world was asleep, my Savior’s body ran with blood, sweat, and tears for a helpless people who would die without Him. From that agony was born new life for me, for you, for all who would cry out to Him with tiny, empty hands and hungry hearts.
No matter how many times we call out to Him in the night, no matter how little we can do for Him in return, no matter how angry or sad or tired we may be, the Father will always take us in His arms and comfort us.
Every time I lift my daughter from the crib and hold her close, every time she looks up at me and stops crying, I have a picture of the warmth and safety I can feel when I run to my Father’s arms.
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I hope you enjoyed that little journal entry from new motherhood. 🙂 I’m happy to say that it’s going a lot better now – she’s sleeping much longer stretches at night and becoming so alert and cute during the day. I feel like I’m finally starting to actually enjoy having a baby! It’s lovely not to be distracted by all the issues we had to deal with. She’s worth all of them though, of course. It’s so fun to watch her grow, and I look forward to sharing many more pictures with you in the weeks and months to come.
Thanks so much for reading, my friends, and have a lovely day!
***Allison***
Allison Marie 
Beautiful baby
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Thank you – she is! 🙂
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What beautiful truths, Allison. Thank you for sharing them! Motherhood is the highest calling, but it is so hard sometimes! I will be praying for you in this season. ❤ 🙂
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Aww thanks so much, Joanna. The hardest struggles and highest rewards. ❤️
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Dear Allison;
Prayers that you are fully on the road to complete health.
Thank you for sharing the beautiful photos of your adorable Sophia.
God bless you and your family
Marilyn,Joan and Marion
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Thank you for your prayers and comment! ❤️
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What a lovely post, Allison. . . .on so many levels! I am thankful to hear you are finding your footing. Motherhood is beautiful and hard and not always in that order.
Love you Sweet Momma!
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Aww thank you so much! ❤️ Yes, it is definitely both and I know that one will be more prominent than the other in some seasons. Thanks for the kind words!
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so many good thoughts and I love watching Sophia grow. So glad you and her feel better. Being a mother lasts a life time. Some seasons are easier than others. We are praying for you all. Gram
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Thank you so much Gram. ❤️ I feel like we are getting into an easier season now which is amazing, but I know there will be plenty of hard ones in the future so I have to keep the right perspective. Yes, motherhood is such a blessing!
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So lovely of all of you! I remember thinking there is no day or night…all there is is this tiny joy and wow am I tired.😚 God’s blessings to you and family!
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That sounds about right. 😅 It feels like you live twice as much life since you’re up day and night. Thank you so much!
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Sophia is so beautiful! Congratulations to you and Sully and Sophia (she was blessed with wonderful parents)!
I never thought about motherhood as a living sacrifice, but it does fit, doesn’t it.
Also, I’m reading Jesus’ Alternate Plan by Richard Rohr, and he says parenthood has a lot in common with “This is my body, given for you.”
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Aww thanks, Andrea!
It really does!
Huh that’s so interesting and in a similar vein for sure.
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Beautiful! God is so proud of you girl and his Grace is sufficient!!! This post was sooo encouraging for me as a mother who knows those moments! Sacrifice is a pleasing aroma to God, and just know these transitions truly don’t last forever and in every season he gives us things to enjoy and things to grow us. Those early days are soooo costly but they are so beautiful and you can’t help but to miss them when they are gone. God bless you guys <3!!
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Thank you for the lovely comment and encouraging words! Yes, I feel like the early season is an “investment” – you put in an extraordinary amount of work to get this little one started off well. And of course it’s still an extraordinary amount of work later. 😉 But already it feels like we’ve settled into a routine a bit more which makes it easier for me to enjoy my days!
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What a beautiful, convicting post, Allison! I’m relieved to hear you’re starting to feel yourself again and that Sophia is sleeping longer. I pray that continues. 🙂 She’s just precious-love the photos!
Like you, I’m trying to persevere with a good attitude. There are so many “wants” I have, but all I really need is Jesus. And may His Holy Spirit continue to teach me. Praying for you, friend! And may God bless your dear family!
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Aww thanks, Valentine! Yes I’m so grateful. ❤️
That’s so true, but so hard for me to remember. Thanks for the comment, Valentine! Praying for you too. ❤️
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