I feel the need to open with two disclosures. 

First: I'm still figuring this out, just what it means to manage multiple responsibilities while staying spiritually grounded, right alongside you. I'm stumbling and tripping, correcting, and redirecting. I'm seeking wisdom from women who are older and wiser than I, turning to Scripture, bringing everything on my heart to God every day, and doing my best to listen to the promptings He places on my heart. 

The truth is, I am only three years into this journey of motherhood. The entire time, I've been learning what it looks like to remain a faithful daughter of the King, to be a devoted wife, and to work while raising children. I never want to become blind to my primary vocation as a wife and mother, I never want to chase success to the detriment of the ministry that greets me every morning, the ministry I am quite literally tripping over and chasing. 

Sometimes, in the midst of wiping noses, refilling sippy cups, nursing a baby for the fifth time in the night, breaking up a fight, exploring nature, and teaching ABCs, I forget that these immortal souls are the ones who need my attention most. And while I love my work (a gift I don't take for granted) and feel called to it in this current season, I always want to hold it with open hands, ready to pivot—whatever that looks like for our family—if the Lord should ask it of me.

The second is this: this is a personal topic, a deeply personal journey. Not too long ago, my Instagram feed was filled with discussions as to whether or not Catholic mothers should work. The comments were heated and often harsh. It was a stark contrast to the circle of Catholic mom friends I'm blessed to have. 

The beautiful thing about this group of women in my community is that we all champion one another to be the woman God has created us to be. We trust that each of us is bringing her heart to God, discerning, and listening to the call He placed within her. Each of our motherhoods looks different. Some of us work out of the house. Some of us work remotely while also having our children underfoot. Others are dedicated to stay-at-home moms. Some keep their children home, others send them to day care. Some enroll their children in public school, others in private school, and a handful of moms homeschool. Each family is unique, each has its own joys and crosses. 

But the spirit of comparison, in a remarkably beautiful way, is absent from this group. 

And this is my hope for all women. This is my hope for you. That we might uplift each other, direct each other back to God, and celebrate our differences without feeling threatened by them. This is what the lives of the saints do so beautifully. They remind us that holiness is not one-size-fits-all. A universal call, yes, but one that will look different for each of us.

So as we reflect on three Scripture passages that have helped me to find wisdom for a busy life, let us begin by invoking saints who know well the challenges of working while mothering: 

Saint Gianna Beretta Molla, pray for us.
Saint Zelie Martin, pray for us.
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, pray for us.

1) Surrender Your Day
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)

Sometimes when I am most tired, I suddenly realize I'm repeating the same mistakes: I cling to control and fail to surrender my plans, even my day, to the Lord. 

I try to be intentional with a morning offering, a prayer that centers my day and reminds me that all that I do is meant to glorify God. But when I grasp, strive, and rush headlong into a million tasks, I forget to let Him have a say over my day. The result is exhausting, both mentally and spiritually. 

And this is not what God wants for us. He invites us to lay our burdens, even our to-do lists, perfectly crafted schedules, and expectations for how the day ought to go, at His feet. By allowing Him to lead, to orchestrate, to help us prioritize, there is peace and rest. I trust that by surrendering my day to Him, He multiplies my time and efforts. If, for example, I find that I need to "waste" time by playing with a child or connecting with my husband, rather than focusing my efforts on a particular chore or task, there is often fruit that I could never have anticipated.

There is another piece of this Scripture verse that speaks loudly to me: my worth isn't tied to performance. It is ok if I need rest. And I am most rejuvenated when I come—with all my burdens, faults, worries, and failures—to the Lord and allow Him to minister to me, trusting that He will carry what I cannot. 

2) Serve the Lord
Whatever your task, work heartily, as serving the Lord and not men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you are serving the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:23–24)

Lately, I've realized I've been saying yes to too many things, letting life happen to me and my family instead of intentionally discerning what is best for us. I think one of the hard things for me is that I want to say yes to everything! I want to do it all: participate in every plan our extended family dreams up, excel at work, be a present mother, a devoted wife, a faithful daughter of God, a good friend, a volunteer at church, a committed sister and daughter, all while finding time for self-care. But the truth is, you can't do it all. Trying to do so is exhausting and impossible.

This verse from Colossians reminds me that working for the Lord doesn't mean doing it all, but rather, giving my heart fully to what is in front of me. The idea of "balance" is deceptive. Life often requires us to choose between multiple goods, letting go of one thing in order that something more pressing can rise to its proper place. At times, that looks like prioritizing a project at work, other times it requires my undivided attention to my spouse or my child. 

Recently, I was asked to lead parent faith formation at my parish. My heart wanted to say yes, thinking perhaps this is where God wanted me to serve. But my mom reminded me to look at the ministry that was right before me: mothering three very little children, being a good wife, and pouring into the Walking with Purpose apostolate. If I said yes to this additional ministry, would I be able to do it with my whole heart? When I brought it to prayer and really asked the Lord for His guidance, I discerned this was not where He was calling me to devote my time in this current season of life. It was hard to say no, but that no will enable me to do everything else in a way more pleasing to God. 

When we give our hearts fully to the people and the work that lies before us, when we truly seek to serve the Lord in all we do, we can trust that our reward will be great: the inheritance of His kingdom. 

3) Lose Your Life for Jesus
For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? (Mark 8:36)

Want the hard truth? Besides Jesus, the next most important thing in your life is your husband and children. No one else can take your place in the sacred work of your home, in the domestic church that's been entrusted to you by God. 

The enemy knows this, and he will try to distract you from your role here. He'll tempt you with money, success, approval, comfort, the desire to be seen as capable or important, the need for something more outside of your primary vocation. But if we are not careful, if we're not wearing the armor of God, we can chase after the whole world, we might even gain it, but at the expense of our life.

One of my greatest assurances is this: at any moment, I could quit my job. Truly, I find comfort in that. Yes, I feel called here. Yes, I believe I am doing kingdom work by participating in the WWP mission. Still, my family comes first. I never want to be blind to the reality that God might one day ask me to lay everything down for the sake of my family. Should He ask that, I do not want to hesitate to obey Him.

Of course, quitting your job isn't right or even feasible for everyone. One of my very dear friends is a single mom. Being a stay-at-home mom, though a dream of hers, is simply not possible. Yet, aware of how much stress her current job was bringing into her life, mindful of conflicting values within her company, and the energy that was being taken away from her ability to mother well, she courageously began the arduous task of finding a new job, even willing to take a bit of a pay cut for the sake of greater peace in her life.

I have another friend who has a degree in chemical engineering and yet stays at home with her children during the day and picks up shifts at a local restaurant to help pay her family's bills.

And then there are my friends who do stay at home, masterminds of budgeting and sacrifice, who live simply but joyfully, honoring the call the Lord has placed on their hearts. 

Whatever your circumstance, the call is the same: to live for Jesus in the vocation He has given you. You have been entrusted with irreplaceable, invaluable, immortal souls to love, form, and lead toward Him; to teach all that is true and good and beautiful. The world may never understand this hidden work, or even applaud it, but in the eyes of God, this is the work of infinite worth. 

Want more scriptural advice on how to balance faith, family, and a career? Check out two of our favorite Bible studies: Keeping in Balance and Ordering Your Priorities.