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Disclaimer: I know “mom” in this blog could easily be replaced with “dad” in many cases. For you dads out there who do it all, please don’t take offense. I am only speaking of what I know.

There’s nothing like the prayers of your momma. You know momma’s gonna pray for your safety and your soul. She’s gonna call out to Jesus when you’re driving home from college in a storm or just driving. Period. She will pray your heart is always right with Jesus. She will hold you close, stroke your hair, and whisper His name in your ear when your heart is broken, and she doesn’t know what else to say. (And bless your momma’s heart…she will likely pray the one who broke your heart steps in bubble gum or stubs his (or her) pinky toe really bad.) She will pray for your test, your job interview, or simply when she feels like something is a little off with you because even when she doesn’t know what it is, she knows that Jesus knows. Thank God for a praying momma, right?

Yet, there’s a question that’s been weighing on me.

Who Prays for Mom?

As an adult child who is blessed to still have her, I know my mom prays for me, but I have to ask myself, who prays for my momma? I mean, I do…sometimes…but not nearly enough. (I’m sorry, Mom. I promise to do better.)

Then I got to thinking…Who prays for me? It feels like a selfish thought, yet it’s a question I’ve asked myself many times over the years. It just hit a little different this week.

My church recently started a midweek bible study. In the women’s group, our study has been talking about the cost of attempting to control different aspects of our lives. The topics have been the cost of controlling our circumstances, other people, our image, and the anxiety we create for ourselves through it all.

A common theme I noticed among the women, is that, in effort to protect our image, we try to hold ourselves together, so we don’t upset anyone or let anyone see us break down. And by “women,” I mean me.

Most women are multi-taskers by nature. Especially moms. Who, but a mom, can cook dinner, console a crying child, and help with a school project, all at the same time? Who, but a mom, can work full time, make all the ballgames, and still make time to read a bedtime story? Who, but a mom, will plan and cook dinner, make sure everyone has their plate full and their drink of choice before she even thinks about making her own plate? Who, but a mom, puts everyone else first, many times neglecting herself, and is happy to do so just to see smiles on the faces of those she loves and cares for? I also think it’s safe to say that most moms, whether followers of Christ or not, would cry out to God on behalf of her children, be it out of desperation or genuine faith.

Moms take care of everyone and everything. We manage our families, school projects, work meetings, cooking, cleaning, wife-ing. (I just made that word up, but we all know what I’m talking about.) Moms try to make everyone feel special and loved and poured into and prayed over.

But tell me…who prays for mom?

Maybe no one prays for mom because they think mom doesn’t need prayers. They think mom has it all together because, well…they’ve never seen her fall apart. No one knows she cries herself to sleep when the load gets too heavy because by the time they’re all awake again, Mom has already carefully applied her red lipstick and a shiny pair of heels, ready to conquer the world, all the while hiding the fact that the world is conquering her on the inside.

We’re too worried about our image to let anyone see, but what if talking about it is just the tool we need to help us do the conquering? What if telling a trusted friend makes the load a little lighter? What if she prays for you and you pray for her and your army of friends grows, if only by one? And while the journey may be rough, you know you’re going to make it because you realize you aren’t alone.

Friends—Please don’t carry the weight of your struggles alone because you’re worried about what others will think if they find out you don’t have it all together. You can’t control people and you certainly can’t control their thoughts. Let me tell you, I’ve learned this through some heartbreaking ways.

This encouragement may sound a little backwards, but Momma—Let someone see you break. Find a trusted friend. If you don’t have that friend, find a counselor, or someone in a bible study group or church. Tell them what you’re going through. Tell them your struggles. Trust someone enough to be vulnerable.

Momma—trust someone enough to say, “Will you pray for me?”