Capstone wk2

Technology/Audio/Video

Script

Audio:

My voice is given through video.

Technology:

I will be recording this using my phone in a quiet area.

Video editing software.

Microphone

Proper lighting

Introduction:

Hello everyone. My name is Delsa Christian. I want to tell you about my first experience with motherhood. When I first became a mother, I thought motherhood would be like the movies—beautiful, effortless, and full of joy. Instead, I found myself drowning in sleepless nights, self-doubt, and mild postpartum symptoms. Things did not change when I became a second-time mom. When I had my second child, I thought, "I've got this. I have experience." However, everything soured when a friend told me, "Children are like pancakes. The rest can turn out great, but you have to apologize to the first one." To my young mind, I thought, "I messed up the first one. This quote proves it. The second one might end up the same way."

When my children had finished weaning and started school, I realized I lacked the joy of having them around. This was not because my children had left but because I constantly questioned myself as a mother. I was continually battling with the thought that I was not good enough as their mother. The many stresses of motherhood further worsened this feeling, and I often felt overwhelmed and overburdened with wanting their little lives to be full of joy and worry-free.

Main Point One: Faith as a Coping Mechanism in Stressful times

One morning, when I was busy shuffling through life and wondering how I would proceed with life as a failure, I came across the verse 2 Corinthians 12:9, which says, "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." I had read this verse before, but at that moment when I read it, I cried. It dawned on me that God's grace covers me in my weakness. I had been going about motherhood in the wrong way. I had relied on myself rather than on God, and that is the reason why I constantly felt as though I was failing. Yet God, who is ever-loving and merciful, loves me enough to cover my failings.

This encounter helped me realize that faith is the best way to tackle the stresses of motherhood. 1 Peter 5:7 says, "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." Few things bring as much anxiety as the complexities of motherhood. However, God calls us to rely on Him for everything. We are to give our anxieties to Him, knowing that He loves us and will give us the strength to be great and sufficient mothers. It is this call that I seek to show mothers through this talk.

God is more than our creator. He loves us and views us as His children. He asks us to always come to Him so that He may strengthen us and enable us to be better in all aspects of our lives. He gives us strength and hope that through Him, we shall emerge victorious in this journey of motherhood and life.

Main Point 2: The Role of Faith in Building Purpose and Meaning

The lack of purpose is another source of self-doubt and heaviness that comes with motherhood. When I became a mother, I felt all my dreams had gone down the drain. I was now a mother and nothing more mattered. However, this is not what the Bible calls on women to do. Proverbs 31 explains that women are to be more than just mothers. Women are to be noble, strong, wise, hard-working, and God-fearing, with the results visible to all. This means that motherhood is not the end of the pursuit of purpose and meaning but an extension of it.

This experience showed me that a woman's purpose does not end with motherhood. Instead, it is found in God and trusting that He has your best interest at heart. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." Even in motherhood, this is still true.

Main Point 3: Optimism, Hope, and Trust in God's Plan

It is also essential, as a mother, to be hopeful in better times. Motherhood can be shrouded in uncertainty. I remember thinking, while I was dealing with even mild postpartum, whether I was raising the next John Wayne Gacy. This was the level of uncertainty I kept facing because I had no idea how my children would turn out and with this uncertainty, my mind wandered to very dark places.

The best way to counter this is to rely on hope that comes from God. Faith serves as a way to remind us that God has our best interests at heart. Jeremiah 29:11 confirms this when it states, "For I know the plans I have for you, declared the Lord, plans to prosper you and keep you. Plans to give you hope and a future." This serves as a reminder that the Lord knows what is best for us and is working to help us get to good things. Romans 8:28 also emphasizes this by saying, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

This shows how powerful faith in God can be in bringing hope into the lives of mothers.

Conclusion

Like traveling on rocky shores, motherhood can be incredibly rocky times. Without an anchor, it can be hard to navigate this terrain. I encourage you today to remember that God is a great anchor to rely on. He is unshakable and unsinkable. Relying on Him is the best option for your life, and my encouragement to all mothers is to turn to Him and place all their hope in Him, knowing He cares for them.

Thank you.