Joy doesn’t always arrive with celebration.

More often, it finds us in the middle, between exhaustion and hope, between chaos and calm. Motherhood lives here, in the ordinary spaces where life continues without fanfare.

Scripture reminds us that “the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Joy is not something we earn by doing motherhood well. It’s something God offers us to sustain us.

Joy does not require perfect conditions. It grows in small, steady ways, through shared laughter, quiet moments, or simply making it through the day. These moments may seem insignificant, but they matter deeply.

In a world that constantly invites comparison, joy often returns when we stop looking outward and begin noticing what’s already present. Contentment grows when gratitude quiets the noise.

If joy feels distant, you’re not failing. Joy isn’t a finish line, it’s something we rediscover as we pay attention. Sometimes the most meaningful joy is the kind we almost miss.

Remember mama, we are in this together, one earnest MOMent at a time.

-Earnest Mom

Much of motherhood is built on love that is chosen.

Not the kind of love that always feels warm or effortless, but the kind that stays. The kind that shows up on ordinary days. The kind that continues when energy is low and patience feels thin.

Scripture tells us, “Let all that you do be done in love.” That kind of love is not dependent on mood or momentum. It’s rooted in commitment and faithfulness.

In motherhood, love is often expressed through repetition…meals made, lessons taught, questions answered again and again. These moments may feel small, but they shape something lasting. God honors the quiet work of love, even when no one else sees it.

Choosing love doesn’t mean ignoring the hard parts of motherhood. It means acknowledging them honestly while still remaining present. It means extending grace, to our children and to ourselves.

If love feels thin right now, that doesn’t mean it’s gone. It may simply be growing deeper roots. Love in motherhood matures through consistency, not perfection.

You are loving well, even on days when it doesn’t feel obvious.

And remember mama, we are in this together. One earnest MOMent at a time.

-Earnest Mom

There are many moments in motherhood that quietly ask us to begin again.

Again after a long night.
Again after a hard season.
Again after disappointment, frustration, or the feeling that we are falling short.

Beginning again doesn’t mean pretending the hard things didn’t happen. It doesn’t erase exhaustion or reset everything overnight. Beginning again simply means allowing grace to meet us where we are. To meet us without shame, without pressure, without needing to prove anything.

Scripture reminds us that “because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning.” New every morning. Even here. Even now.

Motherhood offers countless opportunities to begin again, not because we fail, but because growth requires renewal. God does not ask us to carry yesterday’s weight into today. He meets us fresh in each moment.

February often carries the language of love, but love in motherhood doesn’t always feel romantic or easy. Sometimes love looks like showing up again when you’re tired. Sometimes it looks like choosing gentleness with yourself. Sometimes it looks like noticing one small good thing and letting it be enough.

If you’re standing at the beginning of a new month feeling weary, unsure, or distant from joy, you’re not behind. You’re simply being invited to begin again—slowly, honestly, and with grace.

If you are looking to find that joy again, or simply a glimmer, join me this month with The Falling in Love with Motherhood Journal. The follow along with me on Substack where I will go through the journal alongside you each day in February. You can start any time but we kick off February 1st.

Remember mama, we are in this together, one earnest MOMent at a time.

– Earnest Mom