Today, we're pleased to share with you an audio essay written and read by Katie Ferris

entitled, An Open Letter to Struggling Moms.

Katie's new book is God is Still Good, Gospel Hope and Comfort for the Unexpected Sorrows of Motherhood.

From Crossway.

An open letter to struggling moms by Katie Ferris.

Dear sister, motherhood is hard.

While being a mom is a desirable and godly calling, sometimes patience wears thin and hearts race. As mom to five children,

three of whom share the same serious genetic condition, I've also learned that motherhood

often exposes our hearts to the wounding arrows of pain and grief. Your struggle today

may be real and fierce. Mine is. Along with the expected challenges of

motherhood, like runny noses and tantrums, maybe you face some unexpected ones. I certainly do.

But whatever your journey looks like, and however you feel today, I want to remind you that struggling mom isn't

your primary identity. Even while you and I experience the joys and bear the burdens of this

glorious thing called motherhood, we remain and always will remain, beloved daughters of our

heavenly father. Beloved is who we are. You are beloved.

Beloved is who you are when you're awake in the night soothing a newborn. Belovid is who you are

when your toddler throws a fit. Beloved is who you are when you wash and fold another load of laundry.

Beloved is who you are when there's trouble at school, your teenager questions his faith,

or you get a call from the police saying there's been an accident.

Beloved is who you are when your child's sin or your own sin rears its ugly head. If you are

in Christ, you are His beloved, one at the dear price of your Savior's blood. You can reference

1 John 4, 10 through 11. And nothing can separate you from his love, as it tells us in Romans 8, 38 to 39.

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