Finding Strength When You’re Weary Throughout the years, we have watch over 1,000 single moms fill a venue in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for the National TLSM Single Moms Conference. We stand in awe of their tenacity, openness, willingness to learn and grow with one another. We are overwhelmed with tears, as we stand in gratitude that our organization had been able to pull off the largest single mom’s gathering in the nation, right here in Louisiana. Perhaps what I am most impressed with is the strength of every woman standing in the room – the strength that we all possess as moms and as women. Let me be honest life is not easy. We all will face some battles. We will face battles from our jobs, relationships, past hurts or disappointments, maybe career plans, or motherhood in general. Financial woes will come. Parenting challenges will rear their heads. Life is a journey that is filled with unexpected battles along the way. It is easy to become weary. My greatest desire is for women to learn how to battle well. We must learn how to move and maneuver from strength to strength. The temporary circumstances of a battle cannot define us. We must forge through to get to the other side. The following list is specifically designed to help you find strength in the midst of whatever battle you may be facing today. Strength is not about your battle today. It is more about what you do while you are in the battle. Strength is quiet, yet mighty. Strength is the ability to forgive the past release it and let it go. Strength is knowing you do not have to respond when the gossip is about you. Strength is about holding on to you when it is easier to let go. Strength is about pushing through when everything inside you says quit. Strength is not about quitting, even when it seems like the obvious thing to do. Too often in life, particularly now, when we live in an instant-gratification world, it is easier and more acceptable to quit, than to forge through. The strongest people I know are the ones who have gotten really good and simply putting one foot in front of the other and forged their way through, even when it seemed impossible. Quitting simply was not an option. Strength is developed through hardship. Eek! We don’t like to hear that, do we? When I see women, who can do fifty push-ups or maybe hold the plank position for several minutes, I admire it. I admire a woman who can bench press heavy weights or run marathons, but I would not be ignorant not to recognize that those muscles were developed through hardship. Yes, they were developed through sweat and tears! They were developed through battles. Your strength will come the exact. Same. Way! Your strength comes through battles. The more battles you face, the stronger you become. It comes through learning to battle well, through endurance and exercising that muscle. Strength is not developed on the mountain-top when everything that your feet touch is blessed. We are going to have to go through some things that build our character, strengthen, integrity, and test our faith. In our battles is where are character is refined and the battles are fought in the valleys. Those battles won in the valley is where you gain your mountain top victory. Strength is birthed out of desperation. One day, there will be a woman that will come across your path who you will be able to help and encourage, because of those battles you endured. Strength does not always look like we think it should. Strength will come in unexpected ways and at unexpected times. Strength is not loud, and it is not a bully. Sometimes, your strength will simply be your ability to be silent when someone said things about you that simply were not true. Maybe your strength will be the ability to pray for someone who has wronged you and forgive them, even when they do not deserve it. Sometimes, strength comes as simply as being able to get up and get dressed after a long night with your crying baby! Each of our strength comes differently, and it looks different! If you are a single mom looking for support and strength today, check out The Life of a Single Mom! 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.
