(Eight years ago, I left my career to stay home with my babies. I thought I was taking a six month leave of absence. Instead, I never went back to work. I read about someone on Facebook teetering on the same decision this morning. This is the note I wish I could have written to my younger self.)
Dear New Stay-at-home Mom,
Do not be afraid! God has work for you to do, and there is a lot of it. You will never be bored here. You will never be taken for granted. You will have more influence as a woman with a prayerful heart, than you will ever have in a court room.
Servants of God have the right to their Daily Bread. You will be stunned at how little is necessary to comfortably raise a family. You husband will surprise you with how much he can do to keep a roof over your head and gas in your car. The Lord, your God, will make student loans disappear. He will give outlandish grace to support you in NICU waiting rooms and on rough home-schooling days.
This tug in your heart, its a battle field promotion. There is a deep spiritual war against the sacrament of marriage. All around you can see signs of marriages failing or never taking place at all. When you give up your "career dreams", when you give up your "need to earn your keep", or "make a difference in the world"--you now have two free hands open for battle.
The Assailant is awful. He's crafty. He has taken down many, many women around you. (Be not mistaken. The battle is not "working women vs stay-at-home moms" or feminists vs traditionalists. Their is only one battle that matters--the one inside your own heart.)
God has a plan for your life. There is a specific mission for which you were born. There are acts of love and hope that only you can fulfill.
Tell God yes! "Do whatever He tells you to do." Follow close to the footsteps of a foolish woman in Galilee, who throw out everything the world offered her in order to become the Mother of God. You are in good company.
Love,
Another Catholic Mom
