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PUBLISHERS’ NOTE

If you’ve been following our story, you’ve probably guessed that the next chapter is about our days as new parents. Before I had kids, I was so self-assured in my ability as a future parent. I remember saying, “I would never do [fill in the blank with all the self-righteous things].” When I was pregnant with our oldest, Noah, I was confident that I was going to be the best mom ever. I read all the books, had all the gear. I was ready. I was prepared for everything. Except for Noah. He did not do things the way I expected. He was fussy and unsettled. He wouldn’t sleep for more than an hour at a time. Breastfeeding was impossible. During those long days and sleepless nights, I teetered on the edge of anger and despair. I remember feeling like a complete failure.

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Eventually we found our groove, and he began feeding and sleeping like a champ. Years later, I came across another book I wish I’d had back then: “Parenting,” by Paul Tripp. It reminded me that, like everything else God calls people to do, He doesn’t call us to be parents because we are fully capable. God calls people to do seemingly impossible things so that in our search for help, we find Him. God uses our struggles with things like marriage and parenting to expose our hardened hearts. God uses my struggles with control, impatience and anger as a parent to show me that I still fall short of His glory and that I need His forgiving grace as much as my children do. Let’s take Tripp’s advice and stop beating up ourselves when we feel inadequate as parents and instead rest in God’s grace. “For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).

May the Lord bless and keep you.

Scott and Meredith Tredeau