Importance of Praise Posts

I belong to two groups for mothers on Facebook, both of them Catholic.  I appreciate them both for vastly different things, and as such, I end up interacting with the two groups differently as well.

Anyway, in the larger group, I noticed that posts were taking a rather dark turn.  Many moms were experiencing so many challenges and were voicing very valid concerns within the group over everything from work to child-rearing to general mental and physical health.  My heart ached for many of them, because I could feel the frustration/depression/worry bubbling through the posts.

I felt the Holy Spirit nudging me to drop a reminder of God's Faithfulness into the feed.  I posted:

Praise post, 'cause my heart is singing.

In 2015, I was pregnant with my second son. While pregnant, my then-husband told me he didn't want the baby and also wanted a divorce. After enduring him for almost 8 years, I kicked him out and filed divorce/annulment paperwork.

I was, for the first time, on my own with finances. I was also on my own with two small children (one special needs). However, I trusted God.

I found a decent job close to my sons' daycare. I was able to match my hours to theirs. The money wasn't great, but it was enough to sustain us. I trusted God.

In 2017, I received my annulment ruling- I was free. Not long after, God turned my heart towards a dear friend living halfway across the country. We started a long-distance relationship even though the odds were stacked squarely against us. I trusted God.

In 2018, a new job presented itself with better pay and opportunity. I, for the first time, had to buy and sell a house. It was overwhelming and scary at times, but again... I trusted God. I signed the mortgage paperwork that summer on my very first house and quickly made it a home for my sons and I.

In 2019, my friend had become so much more. Still living half a country away, he asked me to be his wife. He'd been trying for more than a year to find a job on the east coast to be with me and the boys, but hadn't been able to find anything. I said yes and didn't worry... God would provide. I planned a May 2020 wedding.

In early 2020, my fiance got the call we'd been waiting for- a job he'd start in April. We set plans to move him home at the end of March. COVID arrived and threatened to shut down the airports, leaving him stranded, but again... I trusted God, and as always, God provided.

We got him home the day shutdowns went into effect. Everyone told us to cancel our wedding and wait until next year, but no. God got us this far, and He would make sure we crossed the finish line. Sure enough, we secured the church, the priest, and everything else. We married in May. We knew we wanted children, but due to my age and health, fertility was a concern. We trusted God.

We were blessed with a (healthy) son just a few short weeks ago, and I was offered a job that effectively doubled my salary from 2018. My husband was just given a raise as well, and my new job is allowing me to go to my son's daycare to nurse him at lunch, pump when necessary, and work from home part time so I can maximize bonding with my newborn.

Moral of the story, ladies... TRUST GOD. His plans for you are so much bigger than any you've got for yourself.

Thanks for coming to my TedTalk.

As you can see from the snippet below, the response was overwhelming:

I am 100% in support of utilizing social media to vent among trusted friends, solicit the "hive mind" to problem solve an issue, or ask for prayers when things seem "too much."

However, I ALSO believe it is important to recognize the many ways God is good to us as a means to bolster others who are struggling.  We need these reminders of God's goodness, so please, don't be afraid to share that joy with others.  Many women on that thread responded that they "needed to hear this" or that they were "glad to be reminded" of God's Faithfulness.  Praising God openly and without shame is salve to the weary soul.

As always, God is good.  Drop your own Praise Posts in the comments or link back to your blogs so I can multiply the joy!