MAZMUR 120:1

Even the “best-laid plans” of parents don’t always turn out as we expect. Moms and dads can experience doubts about possessing the necessary skills for carrying out God-given tasks for our children, or we may fear that a supposed inadequacy will have a detrimental effect, or, to our greater sorrow, we may unexpectedly see our children turn away from the Christian faith. In what ways can praying and trusting the Lord yield reassurance and strength in times of uncertainty?

Life with no change for the better stagnates and pollutes itself. It leaves a person with a sense of hopelessness, despair, and frustration. The best hope for any soul is to recognize this despair and frustration within and seek divine help to turn around and transform one's life.

Moms are shape-shifters that change from being chefs to doctors to janitors to judges to teachers to plumbers to therapists to hostage negotiators and back again, all before breakfast. We play more parts than a one-man band. No wonder we feel so overwhelmed and alone. Except we’re not. God sees our struggles, hears our cries, and wants to help by redeeming whatever feels broken and bent in our lives. Jamie Erickson offers real-life encouragement for women in the thick of motherhood.

For generations, the car playlist has been an essential component of any road trip, setting the mood. The Psalms of Ascent were the Israelites’ playlist – songs that were sung by the Israelites every year on their way to Jerusalem for the annual feasts. In this plan, we start unpacking these psalms and reflect on the way these songs that were sung centuries ago still apply to us on our Christian journey.