A- ALWAYS PRAY
R- RESPONSIBILITY
M- MAKE MISTAKES
O- OPPORTUNITY
R- ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES

ALWAYS PRAY
-POWER OF A PRAYING PARENT
-PHILIPPIANS 4:6 DO NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING, BUT IN EVERYTHING BY PRAYER AND PETITION, WITH THANKSGIVING, PRESENT YOUR REQUESTS TO GOD
-JAMES 1:5 IF ANY OF YOU LACKS WISDOM, HE SHOULD ASK GOD WHO GIVES GENEROUSLY TO ALL WITHOUT FINDING FAULT, AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO HIM

RESPONSIBILITY
-YORU RESPONSIBILITY TO YOUR CHILD AT THIS POINT IS TO SHOW THEM THE LOVE GOD, LOVE YOUR SPOUSE WELL, PRAY OVER YOUR CHILD, SING SONGS TO THEM
-GOD HAS CHOSEN YOU TO PARENT THIS CHILD, KNOWING NO ONE CAN BETTER MOTHER THEM THAN YOU!
-HEBREWS 2:13 OUT CHILDREN ARE A GIFT, BUT ON WITH A PURPOSE
-DEUT. 6:5-7 LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH. THESE COMMANDMENTS THAT i GIVE YOU TODAY ARE TO BE UPON YOUR HEARTS. IMPRESS THEM ON YOUR CHILDREN. TALK ABOUT THEM WHEN YOU SIT AT HOME WHEN YOU SIT, WHEN YOU WALK ALONG THE ROAD AND WHEN YOU LIE DOWN AND WHEN YOU GET UP.

MAKE MISTAKES
-ALLOW YOURSELF GRACE TO TRY NEW THINGS. PROBLEMS AND MISHAPS WILL HAPPEN – ALLOW YOURSELF THE ABILITY TO ADAPT
-SPOUSE, PARENTS AND WISE Christian FRIENDS MAY ALSO BE CONSULTED BECAUSE GOD CREATED US TO LIVE IN A COMMUNITY
-RESIST THE NEED TO DO IT ALL PERFECTLY ALL THE TIME. BE AWARE OF YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR YOURSELF
MATTHEW 6:34 THEREFORE DO NOT WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW, FOR TOMORROW WILL WORRY ABOUT ITSELF. EACH DAY HAS ENOUGH TROUBLE OF ITS OWN.

OPPORTUNITY
– FOCUS ON THE IMPORTANT, NOT JUST THE URGENT. BE FRUITFUL, NOT JUST PRODUCTIVE. SPEND TIME FOCUSING ON BABY AND NOT DOING OTHER THINGS. BETTER TO TACKLE LAUNDRY AND DISHES OR HAVE A MINUTE WITH GOD AND THE CHILD HE HAS GIVEN YOU?
– FRIENDSHIPS CHANGE; COMMUNITY IS GOD GIVEN. SEEK CHRISTIAN WOMEN AND MOMS TO WALK-THROUGH THIS TIME WITH YOU AND MENTOR AND ENCOURAGE YOU IN THIS JOURNEY. ALLOW THEM TO BE YOUR RIGHT-HAND WHEN YOU NEED THEM. ALLOW THEM TO SUPPORT YOU. GO TO THEM WITH CONCERNS, PROBLEMS, QUESTIONS.
-ISAIAH 40:11 HE TENDS HIS FLOCK LIKE A SHEPHERD; HE GATHER THE LAMS IN HIS ARMS AND CARRIES THEM CLOSE TO HIS HEART; HE GENTLY LEADS THOSE THAT HAVE YOUNG

ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES
-IT IS NORMAL TO FEEL RESENTFUL TOWARD THE BABY OR HUSBAND ABOUT CHANGES IN YOUR LIFE
-TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS
IT’S OK TO CALL THE DOCTOR OR NURSE AND ASK QUESTIONS
-ISAIAH 41:10 SO DO NOT FEAR, FOR i AM WITH YOU; DO NOT BE DISMAYED, FOR i AM YOUR GOD. i WILL STRENGTHEN YOU AND HELP YOU; i WILL UPHOLD YOU WITH MY RIGHTEOUS RIGHT HAND.

PUT THE ARMOR OF CHRIST ON YOUR CHILD EVERYDAY, AND THAT ABOUT WRAPS IT UP. gOD IS STRONG, AND HE WANTS YOU STRONG. SO TAKE EVERYTHING THE MASTER HAS SET OUT FOR YOU, WELL-MADE WEAPONS OF THE BEST MATERIALS. AND PUT THEM TO USE SO YOU WILL BE ABLE TO STAND UP TO EVERYTHING THE DEVIL THROWS YOUR WAY. THIS IS NO AFTERNOON ATHLETIC CONTEST THAT WE WILL WALK AWAY FROM AND FORGET ABOUT IN A COUPLE OF HOURS. THIS IS FOR KEEPS, A LIFE-OR-DEATH FIGHT TO THE FINISH AGAINST THE DEVIL AND ALL HIS ANGELS, BE PREPARED. YOU’RE UP AGAINST FAR MORE THAN YOU CAN HANDLE ON YOUR OWN. TAKE ALL THE HELP YOU CAN GET, EVERY WEAPON GOD HAS ISSUED, SO THAT WHEN IT’S ALL OVER BUT THE SHOUTING YOU’LL STILL BE ON YOUR FEET. TRUTH, RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE, FAITH AND SALVATION ARE MORE THAN WORDS. LEARN HOW TO APPLY THEM. YOU’LL NEED THEM THROUGHOUT YOUR LIFE. GOD’S WORD IS AN INDISPENSABLE WEAPON. IN THE SAME WAY, PRAYER IS ESSENTIAL IN THIS ONGOING WARFARE. PRAY HARD AND LONG. PRAY FOR YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS. KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN. KEEP EACH OTHERS SPIRITS UP SO THAT NO ONE FALLS BEHIND OR DROPS OUT. EPHESIANS 6:10-18

NEW MOM STRUGGLES
Guilt about me-time/self care
Negative feelings about baby and being a mom
No positive feedback in the mothering
Loneliness/isolation
Fatigue
High expectations – need to do it perfectly and sensitive to criticism

LOOK TO HIM AS YOUR ULTIMATE GUIDE AND PARENTING RESOURCE:
ISAIAH 40:11 HE WILL FEED HIS FLOCK LIKE A SHEPHERD. HE WILL CARRY THE LAMBS IN HIS ARMS, HOLDING THEM CLOSE TO HIS HEART. (He will gently lead the mother sheep with the young)

PROVERBS 3:5-6 TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART; DO NOT DEPEND ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING. SEEK HIS WILL IN ALL YOU DO AN HE WILL DIRECT YOUR PATHS.

PSALM 28:7 THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH AND MY SHIELD; MY HEART TRUSTS IN HIM AND I AM HELPED

ISAIAH 40:29-31 HE GIVES POWER TO THOSE WHO ARE TIRED AND WORN OUT; HE OFFERS STRENGTH TO THE WEAK. EVEN YOUTHS WILL BECOME EXHAUSTED, AND YOUNG MEN WILL GIVE UP. bUT THOSE WHO WAIT ON THE LORD WILL FIND NEW STRENGTH. THEY WILL FLY HIGH ON WINGS LIKE EAGLES. THEY WILL RUN AND NOT GROW WEARY. THEY WILL WALK AND NOT FAINT.

MINDSET
– Think of your body like a machine – it needs lots of physical, emotional, and spiritual fuel to function optimally and as it was intended as a mother. How you care for yourself not only affects you but models to fellow family members how to care for themselves.
– Parenting requires that we learn how to operate and function differently – be gentle with yourelf (especially regarding your expectations and accomplishments). This journey is a marathon – not a “sprint”.
– Avoid using old “metrics” to measure yourself in this new role. In fact, don’t measure yourself at all! Rely on the Lord to forge your new identity as a mom and understand your new value/worth as a parent.
-Focus on being fruitful versus productive.

PHYSICAL CARE (THIS IS NOT A CHECKLIST OF THINGS “TO DO” – JUST SUGGESTIONS)
EPHESIANS 5:29 NO ONE HATES HIS OWN BODY BUT FEEDS AND CARES FOR IT, JUST AS CHRIST CARES FOR THE CHURCH

NUTRITION: eat good meals and snacks
EXERCISE; as little as 8 minutes of physical activity a day helps
REST: take naps. Have a set bedtime and wake up time if possible
GET A PHYSICAL EXAM AND CHECK THYROID LEVELS

EMOTIONAL CARE
ECCLESIASTES 4:10-12 IF ONE PERSON FALLS, THE OTHER CAN REACH OUT AND HELP. BUT SOMEONE WHO FALLS ALONE IS IN REAL TROUBLE. LIKEWISE, TWO PEOPLE LYING CLOSE TOGETHER CAN KEEP EACH OTHER WARM. BUT HOW CAN ONE BE WARM ALONE? A PERSON STANDING ALONE CAN BE ATTACKED AND DEFEATED, BUT TWO CAN STAND BACK-TO-BACK AND CONQUER. THREE ARE EVEN BETTER, FOR A TRIPLE-BRAIDED CORD IS NOT EASILY BROKEN.

-Connect with others – husband,other new moms, friends, family; don’t isolate
-Allow for feelings, express them appropriately (how and to whom)
-Plan your day (one things in the morning; one in the afternoon; create ‘margin’; allow for quality time)
-Be realistic in your expectations
-Routines help, accomplish some of your day on auto-pilot; establish a “new normal”
-Take a break: read, music, bath
-Nurture your sense of humor; watch, read, share things that make you laugh, attend “cry baby” matinees
-Find a creative outlet: write, scrapbook, cooking, blog

SPIRITUAL CARE:
1 PETER 2:2-3 LIKE NEWBORN BABES, LONG FOR THE PURE MILK OF THE WORD, THAT BY IT YOU MAY GROW IN RESPECT TO SALVATION, IF YOU HAVE TASTED THE KINDNESS OF THE LORD.

PHILIPPIANS 4:6 DON’T WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING; INSTEAD PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING. TELL GOD WHAT YOU NEED, AND THANK HIM FOR ALL HE HAS DONE

1 PETER 5:6-7 SO HUMBLE YOURSELVES UNDER THE MIGHTY POWER OF GOD, AND AT THE RIGHT TIME HE WILL LEFT YOU UP IN HONOR. GIVE ALL YORU WORRIES AND CARES TO GOD, FOR HE CARES ABOUT YOU.

-SPEND TIME IN GOD’S WORD – EVEN FOR JUST BRIEF MOMENTS
-MEMORIZE AND MEDITATE ON ONE VERSE PER WEEK
-PUT ON SOME PRAISE MUSIC
-FELLOWSHIP, COMMUNITY, MENTORING RELATIONSHIPS