6 Things Every Single Mom Needs to Know By: Jennifer Maggio Single moms, you are seen, valued, chosen, and redeemed. Yes, you are exhausted. Yes, the parenting can get complicated. Yes, the journey can surely be a long and hard one as you navigate the world of raising little ones into world changers alone. You need to be reminded today that you can do this. God is with you and goes before you. He gives you strength today. Your kids think you hung the moon, even when they don’t tell you or act like it! (Yep, even those teenagers who have lost their minds temporarily!) Let’s face it. Along the journey of single parenting, the road can be winding and full of bumps and bruises. The stamina it takes to persevere over the long haul can be seemingly unattainable. But the operative word there is “seemingly”. When the night gets dark and the mountain too steep, God is faithfully there holding our hands. Today, there are 6 key things you need to know on the tough days to keep on keeping on: You will make it! It may not seem like it today. The river of uncertainty and difficulty may be raging war against you in this moment. There may be a battle facing you that is larger than you’ve ever seen before. That mountain could be huge. The finances may make no sense. The children may be the most disobedient and disruptive that you’ve ever seen, but you will make it! There is a season for all parts of your life, and even if this is the most difficult season, the children will one day grow up. Believe it or not, you will look back and laugh at the things that cause you tears today. There will be a season of dancing and laughter one day. You will smile at your grandchildren one day. You will be able to celebrate, even the tough things that God has brought you through. As the mother of a now 25 and 24-year-old, I can tell you that I know that to be true. Keep on keeping on! Learn to ignore the naysayers. Critics are everywhere. Often, they have more to say about your life than their own. There will always be one or two who have negative thoughts to share. It doesn’t really matter if you are a single mom, married mom, childless, teen, senior, woman, man….there will ALWAYS be critics. Maybe they don’t understand your journey. Maybe they even mean well. Maybe they are simply miserable in their own lives. Whatever the case, learn to hear from God and not the ones around you who always have something negative to say. Watch the power of their words that you grant them over your life. Learn to forgive. Yep, you aren’t where you thought you’d be, for whatever reason. Maybe you went through a terrible divorce or lost a spouse unexpectedly to cancer. Maybe you were in a relationship that you hoped would last forever, and it didn’t. Maybe you had some unaddressed anger against your ex. Perhaps you are mad at yourself. Your personal journey could have been a result of unfair treatment. Surely, your children don’t deserve to be raised by only one parent, you may be thinking. You must learn to forgive. Forgive yourself where you may have failed. Forgive your ex who treated you poorly. Forgive your children when they’ve not done well in school. Forgive. Learn to do it well and often. It is a critical component of your journey and an invaluable life skill for your children. Manage your money well. It doesn’t matter where you fall on the socio-economic ladder. The importance of managing your money well will never be a principle that you will outgrow. If you have a little, right now, learn to be faithful and diligent with a little. If God blesses you with a new job, a better one, be sure to be diligent with that, as well. Take a money management course online to educate yourself on healthy money practices. Enroll in a financial education class or Single Mom University. Single Mom University offers over 150 classes exclusively to single mothers on everything from money management to parenting to dating. Take the time to invest in yourself to learn money management techniques, so that money isn’t always the biggest stressor in your life. Do not be a victim of comparison. While there will be similarities that you share with other single mothers, there are also different. Your past circumstances don’t define you. Comparison will steal your joy. It will immobilize you from doing the things you were uniquely created to do. You were created for greatness. You cannot compare what someone else has accomplished, what they’ve had to endure, or how your struggle may have been harder. Everyone has their story. Everyone. Don’t assume you know someone’s struggle. Find your tribe. The value of gathering with other single mothers and building a village is invaluable. The Life of a Single Mom Ministries was founded in 2011 so that no single mom would walk alone. The goal is that every church across the U.S. would have a strong single moms’ ministry to gather, grow, and truly do life together. We believe that there is great value in the gathering of like-minded women. Take the time to find a single moms’ support group in your area or consider starting one. More details are on our website at www.thelifeofasinglemom.com. Single mom, you are loved and prayed for by so many. Jennifer Maggio is a national voice for single mothers and hurting women. Her personal story has been featured in hundreds of media venues including The New York Times, Daystar Television, The 700 Club, and many others. She is CEO/Founder of The Life of a Single Mom Ministries, a national nonprofit that works with churches to develop single mom’s programs and ministries, totaling over 1600 groups currently. The Life of a Single Mom has served over 500,000 single mothers over the last decade and counting. Maggio is an author of several books, including The Church and the Single Mom. For more information, visit www.jennifermaggio.com Jennifer Maggio is a mom to three, wife to Jeff, and founder of the national nonprofit, The Life of a Single Mom Ministries. She is author to four books, including The Church and the Single Mom. She was named one of the Top 10 Most Influential People in America by Dr. John Maxwell in 2017 and 2015 and has appeared in hundreds of media venues, including The New York Times, Family Talk Radio with Dr. James Dobson, Joni and Friends, and many others.
