Embracing Motherhood’s Little Moments

July 15th, 2026

Written By: Clarice Hielema

I love when God uses the little moments to teach you some of the biggest lessons. Last night, I learned one of those lessons. My daughter was up and crying most of the night. It was heartbreaking. We’re pretty sure she is teething, as that has always brought her a lot of pain. And along with teething, she often gets cold symptoms, so she was a little stuffed up as well. Whatever it was, she was upset and uncomfortable, and this went on for hours last night. My husband went into her room a couple of times and tried to calm her down to no avail, and then I decided I would go in and give it a shot too. I held my crying daughter, gave her some herbal teething drops to hopefully help soothe her, and prayed with her while I cuddled her in our rocking chair. She’s growing up, so a long hug or cuddle is becoming more of a rare occurrence, and I instantly began to cherish that moment. She still cried after the time I spent with her, but instead of seeing my efforts as worthless, I realized that God used my daughter’s situation to speak to my heart. A few months back, I wrote a blog post titled, “This Is What It Means To Be A Mother”, and last night I had the same thought process flood my mind. 

Oftentimes in motherhood (or fatherhood), we get in comfortable routines that work, that feel easy. When something interrupts that routine (like a crying toddler in the middle of the night), we can become so impatient and irritated. We feel entitled to our routine and our own needs/wants. Last night, I woke up. Not just literally, but mentally and spiritually. I realized that purpose in motherhood is found in those little moments where you are exactly what your child needs, where you are their safe place. In the quiet and stillness of the middle of the night, I looked into my daughter’s sweet but tired face, and I thought “this is my purpose right now, this is when I really get to be a mother.” It’s when we can embrace these seemingly inconvenient circumstances with our children, that we really begin to taste the joy of motherhood and feel the fruitfulness of our labor.

You hear every older mother or father say something along the lines of, “enjoy these little years, they grow up too fast.” I get comments like this all the time when I’m out and about with my kiddos. Most of the time, I respond with something like, “Awww yeah they do.” But quite frankly, I’ve only just started out in this journey of parenting, so I can’t understand the full scope of what they’re trying to convey to me. But last night I actually had that realization as well, that my children will grow up one day. This season of life shall too pass. It’s a humbling awareness of our fleeting reality and the thief that time is.  I only get to be my child’s safe place, comfort, and guide for a little while. 

I am my children’s whole world, and that is a great privilege that calls for a great sacrifice. It’s when we can embrace this sacrificial, selfless way of living, when we can lay our lives down for our children, that we can experience motherhood to the fullest. It’s the little moments that really do matter the most, such as reading the same book for the hundredth time, making them a meal or snack, helping them go down the slide or pushing them in a swing, changing a poopy diaper, dancing with them in the kitchen, teaching them how to match shapes or stack blocks, or perhaps drying tears in the middle of the night. It’s these moments that we will remember, that we will desperately wish to relive. Our children need us, they desire to be with us, and we can be all of that and more for them in little ways throughout the day. I don’t want to blink, my children all grown up, and to feel like I squandered this time of my life, like I could have been there more for my children, grown more as a woman of God, and lived more fully in my purpose. God has given me a great privilege in being a mother, and a great blessing in my children. I never want to feel burdened by their existence, needs, or dependency on me. Think how God the Father looks upon us with grace, mercy, gentleness, and care. It is the Lord who said in Matthew 19:14, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” The Lord welcomed and embraced these children, and we should do likewise with our children, both mentally and physically. We are our children’s safe haven, comforter, and solid rock. I want to show up everyday for my children, to be the mother God has called me to be, and to live these little years to the fullest, bringing love to my children and glory to God. It’s true, they grow up too fast and it’s our choice how we will use these little moments. We only get to live today once, so don’t waste it. I hope this blesses you, friend!

“Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward.” Psalm 127:3