As a mother of young (or even not so young) children, it sometimes feels like all you do is care for others. Constantly meeting people’s needs is exhausting and can sometimes lead one to wonder, Does anyone care about ME? 

The same can be said of teachers who are with children day after day after day. Does anyone see their struggle?

Even when one loves children deep down inside, it’s only human to sometimes feel depleted and tired. That’s OK. No guilt here. Though I’m out of that phase of life now, I remember it vividly. I loved being a mom. Still do, actually. But I get it. Really, I do.

I can still remember a particular Sunday as I sat in church exhausted and overwhelmed with parenting. I was worried. My oldest daughter had been ill for a couple weeks and missed a number of school days. It was her first year of high school. The doctor didn’t know what was wrong. She’d be sick one day, then fine the next, and then sick again. It was so off again, on again it had me baffled. I wondered if it was an emotional illness due to something happening at school, even though my girl denied any such problem. I didn’t know what to do, but I was near tears as I sat in the pew that morning.

That’s when I stumbled across a verse that whispered to my mama-heart ever so gently. Isaiah 40:11 soothed me like a closely held baby. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young (KJV).

That last phrase, shall gently lead those that are with young jumped out at me. That’s me! I didn’t need to worry. God saw my daughter and her health challenges and he saw ME, trying so hard to be everything she needed. But that was just it. I could never do that. Only God could be everything she needed, not to mention everything I would need. He would feed us. He would gather us. He would carry us. And he would gently lead me, her mama.

And that’s exactly what He did. My daughter’s illness ended as mysteriously as it had come. I was able to rest physically and spiritually in Him.

Years ago, around the same time, a friend introduced the women at my church to “Shepherd’s Song” by Sandy Hauxhurst. The lyrics are taken from Isaiah 40:11. You can listen to it here.

Are you facing a challenging time as a parent? Cling to this verse. We have a tender shepherd who loves your little family flock and will never leave you or forsake you.

Is there a verse that has helped you through challenging times? Share it in the comments.