To All You Single Moms

Many of you, my sweet bloggy friends, are single moms.

So many names instantly pop into my head, but I won’t start naming any because I don’t ever want to offend anyone for leaving them out.   But there’s a friend who adopted two brothers out of foster care and it has been an extremely difficult road.  She is a woman of deep perseverance.  One of her sons got a sports scholarship to a school in Phoenix and we pray that we will finally be able to hug necks!

Others of you ended up by no doing of yours raising children alone.  Still others have chosen to adopt in your singleness.

One bloggy friend who was widowed.  She lives in Texas I believe.   She has several children and is adopting another.  She’s amazing!

Another bloggy friend comes to mind.  She told me she used to live in Phoenix, but now lives on the East coast.  She just took in another foster child {and has several young ones at home}.

Today, I just have to pause and tell you all, from the bottom of my heart:  You guys are unbelievable.  What you do – day in and day out – wow!  You all totally rock!!

This single mom thing for me is just temporary….a few weeks here and a few weeks there as Dw and Emmy lead missions trips…but I gotta’ say, you all are my personal heroes!!

I am so proud of each of you.

No doubt, some days are beyond imaginable and difficult for you.  Yet, by God’s grace, you put one foot in front of the other and keep going.  Your strength and determination is noteworthy.  There has got to be a calm assurance that the Lord will see you through.

If I could, I would work my way through each of you and bring you flowers to show you my deep admiration for you…then I would take your treasures and give you a much needed rest.  Since I am unable, I do pray that those around you minister to your soul, bringing you blessings and encouragement while ministering to the treasures gifted to you.

May the Lord bless each of you for your courage, determination and kindness you show to your children day in and day out.

27 thoughts on “To All You Single Moms

  1. Single parenting is definitely tough! I was a single mother of one for several years before the Lord brought the most amazing man into my life…and we're 4 going on 7 blessings now! God is good!

  2. Very sweet Linny! I really needed this today….I've been feeling a little sorry for myself lately. I ran through Costco today and glanced at the beautiful flowers and I thought to myself, "I should buy myself some flowers". But, I didn't because, well you know, as a single mom of 5 the budget is tight! 🙂
    Thank you for the encouragement!
    ~R

  3. As a single mom of ten[all adopted]…Thank You!!! Preschoolers and school age children adopted are fun…teenagers who know the system well and use anything they can to hurt those that are trying to help them…make some days really hard.

  4. Thank you! I am a single mom thanks to divorce following my ex walking out on us. This year has been the hardest year of my life. I went from being a stay at home mom to working full time and raising my 4 years old full time. My ex and I live in different states so he hardly sees his son, so the breaks I get (other than work) are few and far between.

    It sucks when you wake up and you never wanted this for yourself. This isn't what I have planned and it's harder then you can imagine.

    But reading this today, you have made my night. Thank you for your love and kind words!

    1. Deni, I am sorry for your pain. The man who walks out is no man at all. I pray that God will provide a precious, trusted friend who can give you a much needed rest every now and then…if you were nearby, it would be me!

  5. that made me tear… as someone who is preparing to adopt as a single mom… some days the idea strikes a line of terror through me… some days the idea brings me to tears of joy in anticipation… some days – well, I suppose we all have some days, don't we… and they're all in God's precious righteous and gracious palm. I praise God I 'met' you Linny.

    1. You are a hero….and remember that married, pregnant women also have terror thinking of their soon-to-be-born baby…so you are not alone in those moments of panic…I pray God will give you continued grace and strength for the days ahead – they will be sooo worth it!

    2. Thanks for this post. I just got the approval to adopt as a single mom at 28 years, a true miracle in Kenya, because 28 is still considered very young. I thank God for coming through for me, I'm excited, impatient, but just like Cindy most times terrified that I won't be a good enough Mom to the little one. Your blog is an encouragement to me.

  6. Thank you for that! So many times people don't appreciate that you can't do what your married, stay-at-home counterparts do or even the work-outside-the-home married moms do. There is no one to go run an errand but you, no one to make the big and little decisions but you. When you are sick you still have to keep going because there is no one else. It is nice when someone appreciates that and also accepts single parenting. There is also a lot of prejudice from some against adopting as a single parent. But the blessed thing is – we get well compensated for the negative feedback and opinions! I would so do it again if my health were better and I had a decent income.

    1. Dw and i have always had a special place in our hearts ministering to single moms. One of my dearest friends was a young, single mom whom I met in a park when we pastored in Charlotte. She and her little boy became a 'staple' in our home. She blessed my life far more than we ever could have blessed her. I needed her friendship and we had a blast together. I pray for such a family for you…to envelop you into their hearts and home. Bless you!

  7. Dear Linny, thank you so much for the post, it could not have come at a bettter time. Here I am single mom, day 36 in Ecuador with my 6 year old and new daughter age 5. Several delays, so we may not make it home in 2 more weeks as hoped. We are joyfull even through the struggels of being in a foreign land and not knowing th language. God has provided for our every need and some with a team at home working on my house, getting my car repaired, and storming the heavans to get us home. 2 years ago I would not have believed this miracle could happen. Waiting with the peace of knowing it is all because of and through him.

  8. Thank you Linny! That was a very sweet post and one that I needed to hear. I'm a single mom by choice as I adopted my daughter from China 2 1/2 years ago. She is such a blessing to me and we are having the time of our lives. She is 4 1/2 now and so active. I don't have family around close so it is hard to get some time for myself but when I do get that time, I end up missing her terribly! LOL I guess since I waited so long to be a mom (48 years old) I am right where God wants me. Thanks again for writing that.

    1. You waited sooo long. I am so proud of you! And as hard as the days are sometimes, who would want to go back, right? So thankful you commented…I pray God's grace and strength overwhelm you! Bless you!

  9. I just had to share my words of encouragement ~ I adopted my daughter from Guatemala when I was single and my parents struggled to support my decision because they feared that having a child would make me "less desirable" for perspective husbands… I told them that any man I would be drawn to would understand my calling and Isabelle's adoption would not hinder our relationship. Fast forward just a few years post adoption, and I'm happily married to the man of my dreams (who was raised by an adoptive father) and living as a family of FIVE with his two daughters 🙂

  10. Thank You sweet sweet friend! Just what I needed to hear! You see last night my Daughter showed up at my door with her 3 kids! I had to do some spiritual warfare for her! I have raised her by myself. BUT never was I alone my friend Jesus helped me. Also my church family. Janet

    1. No, sweet friend, you were never alone. I am thankful your church family ministered to you as well…and I pray for great grace as you minister to your daughter and her treasures.

  11. Thanks for the love for single moms! 🙂 Awesome. I have something to mail you (it is a surprise!!) So I was wondering if you could email me your address? (In case you are fearful that I am an internet predator I promise I am not! I talked to your husband on the phone in February or March about going on the Uganda Go Team that they are on now. I was the one who is pregnant but still trying to decipher if the trip was still God's will for me.)
    Anyway, if you could send your address to kristacaines@gmail.com I would appreciate it! I can't wait to send you this surprise! 🙂 🙂 🙂

  12. Thanks for your encouraging words! Single parenting can be rough. When it is by choice through foster parenting and adoption, many don't understand, especially as I'm adopting a fifth (an infant) as my peers are watching their kids graduate from high school! It is nice to receive an unexcpected att-a-boy!

  13. Thank you for having the back of us single momma's. It means a lot and makes a big difference knowing the simple fact that you acknowledge the struggles and what we can still do. Reality is things are rough all over, not just on us. So know that we think what you (and others) have chosen to accept and follow is pretty awesome too.

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