One blessed momma, that’s me! However, that doesn’t mean I’m never one stressed-out momma, one-guilt-filled momma, or one overwhelmed momma. As we’ve just come through one holiday and are headed towards a jampacked holiday season, the stressed-out, guilt-filled, overwhelmed parts of me are threatening to take over. 

Long-term stress prevention and management can reduce your chance of developing additional disorders such as heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, and depression. Several studies have found that cannabis can assist people cope with stress. However, cannabis’s anti-stress and anti-anxiety qualities may be most effective when microdosed. Because cannabinoids have biphasic effects, substances like THC can reduce anxiety in low dosages while increasing anxiety in greater ones. To learn more see this ne post about the Process for Getting a Medical Marijuana Card in Oklahoma.

Several studies have found that cannabis can assist people cope with stress. However, cannabis’s anti-stress and anti-anxiety qualities may be most effective when microdosed. Because cannabinoids have biphasic effects, substances like THC can reduce anxiety in low dosages while increasing anxiety in greater ones.

This year will be different than most. Covid-19 is the uninvited guest in every aspect of our lives. As we plan our holiday celebrations do we leave behind all of our usual parties? Do we say, “better safe than sorry”? Or do we take hold of our lives and refuse to live in fear? Carrying on as though nothing has changed.

This is a very hot topic in all circles of friends and family and politics. Since it is everywhere we look, it is also affecting our motherhood. But isn’t there always something that could be affecting our motherhood? Sometimes it is coming from outside sources and sometimes it is from within our own family.

Here are four things I plan to use to leave the stress, guilt, and overwhelm behind as we finish out 2020.

1. Prayer and Supplication

“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:6

Suppli… what? Supplication. Maybe you’re smarter than me, but I realized as I was writing this that I didn’t really know what supplication meant. So I’ll define it here in case you’re in the same boat as me.

Supplication – the action of asking or begging for something earnestly or humbly.

If we take everything to God in humble prayer, and then leave it there, do not play tug-of-war with him, he will take care of the rest.

I have found that if I pour all of my jumbled up messy thoughts out to God, for me in the method of prayer journaling, I am then able to actually think more clearly and make better judgments.

One example, is when my friend Julia‘s baby was in the NICU, I have a lot of guilt and mental fog around mommas with difficult pregnancies/miscarriages/preterm births. (Something I should totally give over to God, I’m a work in progress.)

I knew Julia was hurting and needed to be surrounded by the love of God and friends, but all I could see was my guilt. Finally, I sat down and prayed and wrote and prayed. Once it was all out I could pray for Julia and Nora and ask God to help me find things she needed as I was shopping. I was able to get things that later she told me she didn’t even know she needed yet. Was that me? Nope! It was definitely God working through me.

As you think of the upcoming holidays, don’t do what your jumbled up, stressed out, overwhelmed self thinks. Give all of that to God and then ask for direction. Most importantly, pay attention to his direction. Philippians 4:6 starts out “do not be anxious about anything.“ Anytime you find your anxiety rising use natural treatments, there are medical marijuana in Las Vegas to start a natural treatment that has proven benefits to help with anxiety.

2. Gratitude

Philippians 4:6-7 continues Paul’s directions, with thanksgiving. That prayer you just prayed, did it include thanksgiving to God? What has God done in your life? Are you giving credit where credit is due? When we do things for our children do we not expect and even demand their p’s and q’s? Their please and thank you? We should be training them to say please and thank you, but are we modeling gratefulness to our heavenly father for them?

This direction comes with a promise in verse seven, “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” What a wonderful blessing that peace is. I would love to hear about a time that prayer led you to a peace that you know could only come from God.

Scroll down to download this free printable.

4. Grace

Finally, remember Grace. This is one thing I am beginning to learn from both of the ladies who are blogging with me. Mollie did a great job discussing grace here. Julia and I were once walking buddies, back when she only had one precious girl to haul around. One thing that sticks with me (three years later) is her advice to offer myself the same grace in making health changes as I am offered from God in my walk with Christ. This was an epiphany for me. If you don’t give yourself grace, you are more likely to give up altogether. You’ll give into the stress, guilt, and overwhelm.

We can pray, we can show gratitude, and we can plan, but we are all flawed humans. This means we will always need grace! Thankfully we were created by God who is full of mercy and grace. So give yourself some too. And don’t forget to give grace to those around you. We’re all on this flawed human journey together.

May this Christmas season find you leaving the guilt, stress, and overwhelm behind. Don’t forget to pray and then quiet your mind and listen for God’s direction.

I am one blessed Momma!

The top picture is of my 3 oldest decorating our Christmas tree back in 2011. Going to a tree farm to cut down our own tree and then decorating it is one of our favorites. It’s a tradition we won’t be giving up. What are you holding onto this year?