I've read every single one of the nearly 800 comments, and oh, the love I feel for the mothers of the world. I smile when I think of their sweet experiences with their families, and my heart aches for those who are struggling. I have felt the comfort extended by those who have lost (or are losing) their own mothers, and I feel so impressed with how willingly mothers rally around each other with encouragement.
We are all on the same team. We need each other.
In fact, the main theme of this week, for me, has been that we were never meant to go through this life alone. Our relationships our central to everything.
The Power of Moms is more than a website to me. It's where I gather with other women who want to be their very best. My dear friend Saren and I have been working on this community for nearly five years--with the help of our sweet husbands and a devoted board of more than 30 volunteers who have believed in The Power of Moms from the beginning. (They jumped in and worked for hours and hours this week to keep things running.)
About half of of our board members are pictured here:
It's these women, in addition to the incredible members of our community, who inspire me to be present and deliberate in my own home. They refine my vision of who and what I can be. They are my online family, and any deliberate woman in the world is welcome to join us. I love this organization.
My heart is also full of appreciation for my husband and children. They've been my rock this week--reading the comments with me, taking on extra housework so I can respond to the massive influx, and dancing with me in the kitchen when they can see I need a break. I know I'm lucky to have them. Very lucky.
And there's one more thing that has become absolutely clear:
God is here for each one of us--even on those days we think no one can possibly understand what burdens we are carrying.
The emotions I've felt this week have consistently taken me to my knees and to the scriptures. I can't begin to describe the details, but I have come to know with undeniable certainty that our Lord is aware of each of us. He has a perfect love, immeasurable power, and a beautiful grace that can sustain us when we feel we have nothing left to give.
I already had a great love of the Lord, but I have come to love Him even more this week, and I can't not be a witness of that love. He never leaves us alone.
Thank you all for your support. My prayers are with each of you, and I am grateful for these online connections--when our lives can touch--if only for just a moment--and we can inspire each other to remember what, really, is most important.
Much love,
April
