A reflection on Mary, exhausted motherhood and the many miracles surrounding Jesus’ birth — and why the first Christmas wasn’t perfect either.
I think a lot about Mary in the week before Christmas.
Not the soft-focus, porcelain Mary from nativity sets — but the real one. The young woman who was very pregnant, very tired and walking through a plan she didn’t fully understand yet.
Because here I am, chasing kids in literal circles, a toddler screaming at Olympic levels, something sticky touching me at all times. I’m strategically planning presents, treats, crafts, outfits, school parties and Christmas plays while Hubs is working a pinpoint budget for six kids. We’re just trying to make all of the magic happen.
And y’all… we’re exhausted.
It’s easy to forget that the first Christmas wasn’t perfect either.
Mary traveled while pregnant. There was no guest room waiting. No quiet delivery space. She gave birth away from home and laid her baby in a feeding trough because there was no room. The night was loud. The conditions were uncomfortable. The moment looked nothing like what anyone would have planned.
Yet God didn’t wait for perfect.
He stepped directly into the mess.
The Miracles Around the Manger
We tend to picture Christmas as one holy moment — but miracles were unfolding everywhere.
An angel appeared to Mary, not to give her a step-by-step plan, but to ask for her trust.
Elizabeth, once barren, conceived and recognized Mary’s calling before anyone else did.
Joseph stayed when leaving would have been easier — choosing obedience over reputation.
A Roman census forced a journey to Bethlehem, fulfilling prophecy written hundreds of years earlier.
Angels announced Jesus’ birth not to kings, but to shepherds — ordinary men working a night shift.
A star rose in the sky, guiding wise men whose gifts would later provide for the family’s survival.
Nothing about it was polished.
Everything about it was intentional.
God was showing us something important: miracles don’t require perfect conditions — they require presence.
Mary didn’t control the timing. She didn’t curate the setting. She simply carried what God placed inside her while doing the next faithful thing in front of her.
And that feels very familiar.
Because motherhood, especially during the holidays, often looks like carrying holy things through ordinary exhaustion. We think peace means quiet, but peace really means God is near.
- Moving in God’s Plan Without Having All the Answers
My teen is driving. She’s graduating. She has a million questions about the future… and if I’m honest, so do I. Somewhere between “what if this goes wrong” and “should we just wait,” I realized… we don’t outgrow that feeling. We just get better at hiding it. If you’ve ever felt stuck between taking a step and waiting on God, this one’s for you. - Why Mom Guilt Feels So Heavy: Easter Chaos, Comparison, and Keeping Your Eyes on Jesus
A chaotic Easter Sunday full of slime, meltdowns, and missed expectations becomes a real-life reminder that mom guilt is often rooted in comparison. Through the story of Peter walks on water, this devotional unpacks how shifting our focus from others back to God can pull us out of the guilt spiral—and back into grace. - When the Church Uses a Lot of Words but Says Very Little
Y’all. Corporate America and church should not sound this similar. Big words. Big vision. No explanation. I’m craving substance over slogans, and I think a lot of us are. - Don’t judge from the pew: you don’t know the whole story
A split skirt in church became a lesson on judgment, grace, and why Jesus warned us about beams, motes, and assuming we know the whole story. - Joseph, Step-Parenting & Obedience That Chooses Family
Joseph shows us that fatherhood isn’t about biology — it’s about obedience, protection and choosing love when it costs you something.
You’re Living the Kind of Christmas God Chose
If your house is loud…
If your schedule is packed…
If your patience is thin…
You’re not missing Christmas.
You’re living something that looks a lot like the first one.
God didn’t come to a perfect home.
He came to a tired mom.
A borrowed space.
A holy mess.
And He still does.
📖 Bible Verses
“She gave birth to her firstborn son, wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.”
Luke 2:7 (NIV)
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.”
Luke 1:38 (NIV)
🙏 Guided Prayer
Lord,
I’m tired. I’m stretched thin. I want this season to feel meaningful, but right now it feels heavy. Thank You for entering the world in the middle of chaos, not perfection. Help me release unrealistic expectations and recognize Your presence right where I am. Give me grace to carry what You’ve entrusted to me — even when I’m exhausted.
Amen.
📝 Devotional Actions
• Release one expectation today that’s causing stress.
• Read Luke 2 slowly and imagine the noise, cold and exhaustion of that night.
• Thank God for one unfinished or imperfect thing in your home.
• When overwhelmed, whisper Mary’s words: “Let it be done.”
• Choose presence over perfection in one small moment today.
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