Motherhood is often described as a beautiful, life-changing journey, but what many don’t talk about is the deep undercurrent of anxiety that can accompany it—especially in those early days. In A Mother Held: Essays on Motherhood and Anxiety, Lara D'Entremont brings to light the struggles of motherhood, particularly the weight of anxiety that so often goes unseen. With honesty and vulnerability, she shares how God met her in the darkest moments, guiding her toward surrender and trust in His sovereignty. As I read her story, I found myself revisiting my own early experiences of motherhood—ones marked by fear, uncertainty, and the overwhelming need for control.
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Biblical Encouragement for Anxious Mothers: A Mother Held Book Review
Content
Content
Purpose of the Book
From the publisher: “In this collection of essays, Lara leads her reader through her battle with anxiety and the early days of motherhood—not to show the world her own perseverance or to draw their pity, but to cast their gaze to the One who carried her through it all.”
Table of Contents
1. He Holds the Unborn
2. Not Just Morning Sickness
3. Breastfeeding and Thorns
4. An Identity Smothered in Diapers
5. Memorial Pieces of My Home
6. Grief and Joy In Tandem
7. Longing for Home
8. The Extra Hands and Feet I Need
9. When My Body Failed
10. Watching Deer
11. What If It's Me?
12. The Purpose of My Home
13. Learning Courage
14. No Gold Stars for Burnout
15. He Will Hold Me Fast
16. Overlooking the Valley
17. A Story Led Me Home Again
18. Eyes on Today
19. Given to Us and For Us
20. A Life Lived Out of DoorsDespite the Dangers
21. On Growing Old, Being Loved, and Becoming Real
Epilogue: I Look Toward
Summary
In each chapter, Lara shares her experiences with anxiety during her early years of motherhood with honesty and vulnerability. She skillfully ties in biblical truths, demonstrating how the gospel met her needs and how God remained faithful through it all. Her stories echo the challenges many mothers face, offering readers the comforting sense of walking alongside a friend who understands their journey.
My Take: When Anxiety Leads to Surrender
I worked in labor and delivery nursing for a time. I thought I knew what to expect. I believed I understood everything.
Then we had our first baby. In Africa. In a city foreign to us.
Delivering a baby on another continent, in a different culture, was an experience all its own. But nothing could have prepared me for the hormonal whirlwind of the first night in our rented apartment. Our precious new little girl wouldn’t settle. She seemed hungry, and I panicked, wondering if I wasn’t producing enough milk. With no way to get formula, I felt trapped.
She cried. I cried.
We didn’t have strong connections in this city yet, and there was no one we could call in the middle of the night. But the steady calm of my husband prevailed: 'Babe, let me hold her and rock her for a while.' We prayed. Eventually, she settled, I settled, and we made it through the night.
The rawness of the emotion and anxiety caught me off guard. I knew these feelings existed, but experiencing them firsthand was entirely new to me.
Then we brought our 5-week-old baby girl to our village in the bush. And a new wave of anxiety-inducing scenarios entered my life.
I’d wake up in a panic, worried that malaria-carrying mosquitoes had somehow gotten through the barrier of our mosquito net. Every fever meant deciding whether to pack up and make the treacherous three-hour drive to the nearest clinic. When she became a toddler, those strong little legs carried her near garbage pits, up makeshift ladders, and alongside other children playing beneath mango trees where snakes would fall.
One day, she ran toward our elderly neighbor, and though I was only 20 feet behind, she passed within a foot of a puff adder. I cried out in both frustration and thanksgiving.
Our mothering experiences may be different, yet they’re also deeply similar.
We are desperate to keep our little ones safe, and we can’t do it on our own.
In our weakness, He is strong. In our imperfect love, His love remains perfect. In our fatigue, He endures. In our fickleness, He is unchanging.
And though it takes longer than I wish it would, I know I can surrender all that I am not for all that He is—and give up the control I so badly want for trust in the sovereignty He holds.
Because He also holds me.
And here we find a piece of comfort the Father gives as we wrestle, we're not alone.
My Recommendation
If you're navigating anxiety and either entering or in the thick of motherhood, this book offers reassurance that you’re not alone in your struggles. It will prepare your heart and mind to cling to the truths of Scripture. A Mother Held is a valuable resource, offering a biblical perspective for those facing the challenges of anxiety. I highly recommend it!
Quick Stats
# of Pages: 164
Level of Difficulty: Easy
My Rating: 5 stars
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Scriptures About Being Held by God
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Is. 41:10)
Even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. (Ps. 139:10)
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. (John 10:29)
For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.” (Is. 41:13)
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Cor. 12:9)
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