Motherhood, Meditation & Mental Health!

As a mom of two and an advocate for maternal mental health, I’ve seen firsthand how much mothers carry. And how little time they’re given to actually sit with it. Every week seems to bring another celebration, another milestone, another event, and we’re already rushing toward the next big thing.

What if we paused this Mother’s Day? Not just to buy the card, post the photo, or follow the tradition. But to really pause. What if we slowed down enough to truly listen to the women in our lives, to the mothers who raised us, to those who long to be mothers, to those still healing from their experience of motherhood?

What if, instead of rushing through brunch or checking off another holiday obligation, we actually reflected? Not because culture tells us to. But because it’s natural, because the everyday moments women carry on their shoulders deserve to be seen. The big sacrifices and the small ones. The visible wins and the silent prayers. What if we honored women, not just today, but every day. Because their presence, their love, and their stories are worth celebrating without a calendar prompt?

A love like that should never need a reminder.

Mothers:

Motherhood is not a one-size-fits-all story. There are women who gave birth, and women who raise children not their own. There are women who long to be mothers. Women who have lost children. Women who mother through mentorship, leadership, and so much more. I was raised by my father, and I know what it feels like to long for a mother. I also know what it feels like to find that nurturing spirit in someone who wasn’t “supposed” to carry that role. For me, it was a schoolteacher, a woman of God who wasn’t a biological mom but became one to me in all the ways that mattered.

Growing up, I thought I wanted to be Claire Huxtable. She was it! My gold standard for motherhood. Eloquent, elegant, intelligent. A hard-working woman with strong principles and a polished presence. I studied her like a blueprint, thinking, If I could just be like her, I’d be the kind of mother the world admires. But as I grew in my walk with God, especially after becoming a single mother, I realized something: All of that, without God, wore me out. Trying to do it all. Trying to be it all. Trying to carry motherhood on my back with grace and no cracks showing.

Then I met a whole new cast of mothers. Not on TV, but in the Bible. Mothers who were strong not because they had it all together, but because they trusted God to hold it all together.

• Mary, the mother of Jesus.

• Jochebed, the mother of Moses.

• Hannah, who prayed with tears for her son.

• The Proverbs 31 woman, wise and capable.

• The Widow, whose jars of oil never ran out.

Their strength didn’t come from perfection. It came from surrender. And their names live on not just because of their children, but because of their faith. Every time I open the Bible, I am reminded that God sees mothers. He uses mothers. He walks with them. He calls them by name.

Meditation:

Scripture says in Joshua 1:8 to meditate on God’s Word day and night.

I’ve come to realize that meditation isn't just a relaxation technique, it’s an act of spiritual survival for me. It’s how I quiet the noise. How I gain strength. How I discern what’s real and what’s just pressure.

When I meditate on the stories of the mothers in the Bible, I find encouragement. I see that a godly mother is not perfect, but she is:

• Nurturing and patient

• Tender but strong

• Sacrificial yet filled with faith

• A safe space for her children and those she loves

• A woman of mental endurance

  
  

Take Mary, the mother of Jesus. She said “yes” to an assignment she didn’t fully understand, knowing it would cost her everything. Her faith was so deep, so rooted, she endured things most of us couldn’t fathom.

That’s what 1 Corinthians 13:7 is all about:

"Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

Enduring all things doesn’t just take love. It takes mental strength.

Mental Health:

Let’s be clear: You Can Love Jesus and Go to Therapy. Therapy is not a replacement for Jesus. But Jesus can absolutely use therapy to bring healing. We have to let go of the lie that needing help outside the church is a sign of weakness or lack of faith.

Proverbs 11:14 says, “In a multitude of counselors, there is safety.”

God has always used people to carry His message. Pastors. Prophets. And yes, counselors and therapists too. Mental health is about becoming aware, not perfect. Aware of your patterns, your pain, your needs, your capacity. And when we are aware, we are better able to love ourselves and each other in community.

Here’s the truth I hold since recommitting my life to Christ and my mental health 10yrs ago:

Don’t limit God.

He can use a worship song.

He can use a conversation.

He can use a therapist.

He can use a mother or sister friend.

He can even use a blog post.

With Love and Thought,

Iesha

Iesha Sturdivant is a singer, songwriter, and multi-layered inspirational artist from Chicago. Her experience includes writing, recording, and touring with national and international artists, appearing on American Idol, and bringing a wealth of knowledge, style, and substance to her practice.

Follow @Singeresh @Trustgodanddrinktea