The Single Mom Journeyنموونە

Day 5: You are Loved

"To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish… until death do us part."

On my wedding day, my husband made a vow that sounded a lot like this. But sadly, those words turned out to be untrue. While I’ve been able to heal from many parts of that broken promise, one of the hardest parts to overcome was the feeling of being unloved, especially because he failed to keep the promise “to love and to cherish.”

Feeling unloved is something many single moms experience. But I want to remind you of something powerful: your children love you, and even more importantly, God loves you deeply and unconditionally.

One of my favorite hymns is “And Can It Be That I Should Gain,” and its lyrics have always moved me:

“And can it be that I should gain

An interest in the Savior’s blood?

Died He for me, who caused His pain—

For me, who Him to death pursued?

Amazing love! How can it be,

That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?”

These words remind us that God’s love never fails. No matter what you’ve been through, no matter what you’ve done or where you’ve gone—God still loves you.

And just as you need to know you're loved, your children need to know they are loved, too. Don’t let your pain keep you from pouring love into their lives. Hug them, kiss them, speak words of love over them—and most importantly, tell them how much God loves them.

When you choose to love, even when you don’t feel loved, you are building a home filled with the presence and peace of God. The Bible tells us in 1 John 4:7 (NKJV), “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loves is born of God, and knows God.”

I challenge you today to love others, even when it’s hard. Remember, you are deeply loved by God, and you are never alone.

Day 5: Challenge

Take a moment to reflect on what love means to you. Everyone has a different view, but one thing we all have in common is that love is essential—it’s something we all need and long for. When we feel loved, our hearts are lighter, our days seem brighter, and life feels a little more manageable.

But what about the times when we don’t feel loved?

As a single mom, you may often desire love, not just the love of your children (which is so precious), but also the companionship that many other women seem to have. It’s a natural longing, and it can be hard when it feels like you’re missing that kind of connection.

But please be careful, don’t ever let the pursuit of romantic love take away from the love you pour into your children or the love they feel from you. That kind of love is priceless and cannot be replaced.

And most importantly, remember this: you are deeply and unconditionally loved by Jesus Christ. His love isn’t based on your circumstances or feelings—it was proven through His sacrifice. Jesus was beaten, spat upon, mocked, crowned with thorns, stabbed, and ultimately crucified. Why? Because He loves you.

Galatians 2:20 (NKJV) reminds us: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me…”

This means that as believers, our identity is found in Christ, and we are united with Him in His love and sacrifice. Life may be hard, and loneliness may come, but His love is enough to carry us through.

When you feel unloved, look to the cross and be reminded that Christ’s love is eternal, unshakable, and meant for you.

Day 5: Action

Write a letter to Jesus thanking Him for His love and how His love has helped you overcome downfalls in your life.