Whose Mind Never Gets A Break

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

IN THE FIRST FEW YEARS OF OUR MARRIAGE, Jared and I attended only a handful of weddings. We married so young—at just nineteen and twenty-three—that most of our friends didn’t tie the knot until many years later. But I loved weddings. I loved the planning, the emotion, and the chance to serve in any way I could. It was during a backyard ceremony that I gained a love not just of weddings but of wedding photography. A couple from our church was holding a simple ceremony to renew their vows and needed an inexpensive photographer. I had a digital point-and-shoot camera that I had used only to take photos of my new husband and our dog. I had never photographed a wedding or any other event. But they weren’t looking for extraordinary photos. They were just looking for someone who could document their day.

That small backyard wedding began a new season of life for me. I purchased a “photographer’s camera” and created a website. I took online lessons from free Internet sources, and I offered my amateur services to anyone who would let me try.

I think my husband and I photographed over twenty weddings in those first few years, and our talents grew. We went to gorgeous locations. We were a part of so many special occasions. And I stay in touch with many of the brides I photographed more than ten years ago.

I have to be honest: When that season of life ended shortly after I became a momma, I was relieved. You might think wedding photographers would get breaks now and then, but from the time the wedding party arrives until the bride and groom make their celebrated getaway, there is no time to pause. Every moment is special. The entire day deserves documentation.

If I were to stop paying attention, something could go uncaptured, and there weren’t any do-overs. From the dress and flowers to the family portraits, from the ceremony to the reception—every moment mattered. Every second was scheduled, and when there was no official wedding planner, as photographer I kept everything moving forward on schedule. My mind never got a break.

As mommas, everything feels special to us as well. We don’t want to let anyone down or miss any magical moments. We know that each day is unique, and we feel the weight of what could happen if we fail to capture the moment.

I know you keep mental lists of everything. I know you’re tired, not just from what you’re doing, but from what you’re thinking and planning. You’re tired of being the one to make sure everything moves forward because you’re the coordinator of it all.

I often think about Paul on his missionary journeys to tell the world the Good News about Jesus. Paul was faithful to go exactly where the Holy Spirit directed exactly when the Holy Spirit told him to go there. Why? Because he knew that God had a perfect plan that was far better than anything he could come up with on his own.

Paul also had advice on how we can discern the Spirit’s direction for our lives: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” God has so much insight to offer us. He has so much peace to add to our planning. If your mind needs a break, trust this: God won’t forget one detail of whatever needs to be done. He’s there with you through every magical moment and ordinary day.

Tonight we pray for the momma whose mind never gets a break. Lord, from the time her eyes open until she falls asleep—and even when she wakes up in the middle of the night—she is thinking about what she needs to do next. She makes the hard decisions and the easy ones. She decides when to let things go or take things on. Her mind never stops. Tonight, Lord, we thank You for the rest You bring to her body, mind, emotions, and spirit. Help her give You all her cares tonight so her heart can settle.

We ask in Jesus’s name, amen.

God, please give me wisdom, direction, and peace when it comes to all these people and tasks on my mind...