It was 2020, the year the world changed. The pandemic hit, and we were stuck at home. I had been a wife for three years, and month after month, I waited for the pregnancy test to show two lines. It did not.
I cried. I prayed. I wondered when my turn would come.
In that season of waiting, God drew me closer and began to show me something that would change the course of my life.
One night, He spoke these words to my heart: purpose is not measured by platforms, big stages or something grand. Purpose is found in obedience, including the little things we do day after day. It may not look glamorous. Most of the time, it looks like daily grace.
It took me months to understand that, and sometimes I am still learning what it means.
Then the babies began to come, and motherhood gave those words a new meaning.
Now there is endless laundry, dirty plates, repeated cries for food and needs that seem to have no end. With two toddlers and a newborn, some days feel like one long cycle of someone wanting more of me.
In those moments, I can begin to wonder whether any of it matters. Does God see this work? Does it count for anything? I see other people standing on large platforms and doing what looks like great work for God, while I am folding another pile of clothes or having a random conversation with a toddler about kindness, patience or telling the truth.
Then I remember what God taught me in the waiting.
This season matters too.
Colossians 3:17 says that whatever we do, in word or deed, should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus. That word, “whatever,” leaves room for the whole day. It includes the visible moments, but it also includes the work nobody applauds.
A meal prepared with love matters. The same little shirt washed again matters. A quiet lesson about kindness matters. The prayer whispered during a sleepless night matters. These ordinary acts do not become valuable because other people notice them. They matter because they can be offered to Jesus in love and obedience.
This does not mean every task will feel meaningful. Dirty plates are still dirty plates, and sleepless nights are still exhausting. It also does not mean a mother should carry everything alone. Asking for help, sharing the load and making room for rest can also be wise and faithful.
God may call some people to serve Him in public. He may call others to work that remains unseen. Many of us will experience both at different times. Visibility is not the measure of faithfulness. Obedience is.
So when I am tempted to compare my ordinary day with someone else's public moment, I remind myself that God is present here too. He sees the laundry. He sees the tiredness. He sees every small conversation in which I am trying to plant truth and love in a young heart.
There may be no applause, but there is grace for this work. I can serve Jesus here, in the middle of the noise, the repetition and the needs in front of me.
If your days feel small or unseen, your faithfulness is not wasted. Invite Jesus into one ordinary task today. You do not have to make the moment impressive. Simply offer it to Him.
A quiet prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for meeting me in the ordinary parts of motherhood. When I feel unseen or begin to compare my life with someone else's, remind me that You are present here. Give me grace for the work in front of me and wisdom to ask for help when I need it. Let my words and actions honour You, even when no one else notices. In Jesus' name, amen.
Hold on to this today
“Lord, let this small act be offered to You in love.”
The ordinary work in front of you can become an act of faithful obedience to Jesus.