Mothers of young children and teens need faith and prayer more than anyone, in my opinion. More than deployed soldiers. More than world leaders. Even more than the Kardashians, God help ’em. Because at a time in this culture when our youth are under a total and undeniable attack, we really do find ourselves in a spiritual battle for the hearts and minds of our kids. And it seems like every stage of parenthood brings a new set of worries and unexpected situations that require more faith than we can possibly exert, on a good day.

If you find yourself feeling panicked and overwhelmed by a situation facing your kids, the single best thing to do, is take a deep breath…and look back. Think about all of the difficult, seemingly impossible problems God has helped you navigate through and overcome through the years.  For some of us, He was the faithful hero, carrying us through a painful divorce. Or a comforting father, supplying supernatural strength through an illness or diagnosis. He’s opened doors in our financial lives that to this day, makes no sense, and the list goes on,..

Little miracles shrugged off as coincidence by unbelievers have gotten us through circumstances and seasons we don’t even like to think about. And they’ll continue, even through the current difficulty we’re facing.  It might not be pleasant to think of, but when we remember how lost, confused, hopeless and helpless we felt during the dark seasons God brought us through, our faith is strengthened and our spirits are renewed.. Would we ever have believed God could’ve turned around that dumpster fire of a relationship a decade ago? Would we ever have imagined God would use our failures and even our past sins to bring us to victorious ground we stand now?

So as we walk through this valley, start reflecting on the battles we’ve won, and the heroic hands that’ve carried us to this point. Every morning, center your thoughts towards a spirt of belief. God is big, and life is long. Even if it takes a few more days, weeks, months and yes, even years sometimes. God is in control over your kid’s lives, and he already has a plan to rescue them, turn their hearts towards Him, alter their circumstances, etc.

Unfortunately for the impatient crowd like myself, God’s timing can feel painfully slow, and we can be tempted to lose faith. That’s when you need to focus on these three truths:

1. There’s no parental problem too complicated for God. Yep, not even messy custody battles, rebellious behavior, mental health concerns, substance abuse issues. bullying. Nothing.
2. God loves our kids more than we do. Mothers will always worry a little. I don’t care what anyone says,  Mother Theresa herself would likely have a meltdown or two if she had a daughter begging to pierce her septum at age 15 (Jesus, just return). But we can worry much less by remembering God assigned us the exact kids we have, and no amount of our own parental failures and mishaps can change this truth. Our kids will get through this trial because they are His.
3. The enemy’s main attack is our prayer life. No one prays for children like their momma. Grammy comes in at a close second. If we start believing lies from the enemy that “it’s too late for our kids to change,” or “we’ve messed them up too baldly,” or  “what’s the point in praying when nothing’s happened for years,” we become defeated and discouraged.  Then we pray less, with less power. And the enemy has won.

Whatever problems you’re facing, don’t lose heart. Persevere. Prayer is the battlefield of life and we can’t give up, for the sake of our kids. Thank God ahead of time for the answers that will come. Envision yourself in the near future as you are now, looking back on this season, appreciating how God worked it out in ways you would have never guessed. Don’t blame yourself for what’s happening, or let guilt creep in. You will get through this season. Even with just a speck faith.

“Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”- Matthew 17:20

For more on anxiety & stress, check out my blog post, “5 Life-Changing Scriptures That Combat Anxiety”