Mamas, Stronger Together – Guest Series: Christian mothers have such a strength when we let down our guard and get real with each other, stop comparing ourselves to other mothers, when we stop making motherhood a competition, and instead build each other up as fellow mothers! Over the next weeks, we will hear from various Christian mamas who are each brave, beautiful, and strong in sharing the messages God has placed on their hearts. Enjoy the below message of encouragement from Lauren Carrizal.

On a Tuesday afternoon, our small group of young families met at a local park for a playdate. My almost two-year-old found the slides right away, playing right alongside the bigger kids while I talked with the moms. My son enjoys playing with the big kids and imitating them. But when he saw his closest friend arriving, a girl just two months older than him, he took off running and greeted her with a beaming smile and bear hug. It was at that moment that I realized that we had found our people.

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When my son was first born, I felt left out. I was the only woman at my church that was my age. Age-wise, I was right in between a group of young adults a few years out of college and a group of moms that had children in elementary school. I didn’t know where I fit. In addition to the anxieties that came with caring for a newborn, I also worried over not having community, yet longing for one. I didn’t have close friendships with other moms my age, and I was the only person in my family with a child under the age of seventeen.

When I was first invited to join a small group at my church for young families, I knew it would be a great idea for my son so he could spend time with other children. But to be honest, I worried that I would have nothing in common with these women. While I stayed at home, they almost all worked full time. While I was in my late twenties, they were all in their mid-to-late thirties. Their kids were all older than mine with only two kids close to my son’s age.

The first time our group got together, it didn’t instantly feel like home. Instead, it felt like an invitation to step into something unexpectedly wonderful. Surprisingly, I found that I had more in common with these women than I thought. We all faced similar struggles, even if they were spread through different seasons and life stages. We were all living ordinary lives, parenting littles and serving God along the way. We all sought to live lives that were filled to the brim with goodness and light. So in a way, I suppose it did feel like home after all.

It’s been over a year now since I found my community, and our relationships only continue to deepen. We get together bi-weekly with our families for fellowship, we bring our children together for birthday parties, and we’ve had the women together for girls’ nights. Although I’m the baby of the group, they’ve accepted me and cheered me on in my motherhood journey. I’ve never felt looked down upon by them for my age. If anything, my age leads them to support me even more, and I welcome their mentorship. They have walked with me from the time my son was four months old to him now about to turn two. They have welcomed me with open arms and have carried my burdens, and I have carried theirs.

Sometimes adult friendship is difficult, especially for moms who are often overwhelmed and overstimulated with everyday life and have little time to spare. But when we make time and space for community, our hearts overflow. When we lay down our agendas, our worries, and our expectations of how we think it should go, God fills in the rest.  I’ve found wonderful support from moms that I never expected to be close friends with. God knew what I needed, even when I was unsure about how it would turn out.

So now, when we get together and I see my son running to greet his friends with hugs, I’m grateful that I was vulnerable and open-handed in my pursuit of finding my people. I’m thankful that God provided the community I needed to walk with me through early motherhood. They have been a blessing that feels like home.

Mama, you are stronger when you have community surrounding you. I know it’s hard to come by and even more difficult to maintain. Community is hard work. Bearing the burdens of others is hard work, especially when we are already spread thin with the daily demands of being a mom. But when you are committed to pursuing others, walking alongside them as they walk alongside you, we are all better for it. Find your people, be open-handed in your pursuit of community, and remember that we moms are stronger together.

Lauren Carrizal is a mom and writer living in Fort Worth, TX with her engineer husband and rambunctious toddler son. She is passionate about spiritual growth and encouraging others on their faith journeys. Lauren enjoys caring for her many plants, using her library card, hiking her local state parks, and participating in the life of her church. You can connect with her on her instagram (@laurencarrizal), her blog (laurencarrizal.com), and her Substack (laurencarrizal.substack.com).