“My strongest spiritual gift has always been the gift of encouragement. When I became a mom, I really began to understand how important this gift was. I truly believe the Lord has put me through what feels like every struggle of motherhood simply so I could have the experience necessary to encourage other moms. So when I look back and remember the failed vaginal delivery, the c-section scars, the shame of admitting I couldn’t deliver my child into this world the “right” way, losing a child at 7 months pregnant, the miscarriage, the struggles of exclusively pumping, the mastitis, the struggles of exclusively breastfeeding, the struggles of exclusively formula feeding, the struggles of raising 3 small children very close in age, the failure to thrive, the constant sicknesses, the postpartum depression, and of course the postpartum body image. When I look back on all of these things, I don’t see failure or struggle anymore. I see opportunity. The chance to help encourage other moms and help them to see that success in this journey of motherhood isn’t based on a single event or accomplishment, no matter how big it feels at the time. We are good moms, doing the very best we can to do the job the Lord set out for us. And it’s our duty to be there for each other when the gift of motherhood is too much to bare.”