Navigating Motherhood with Grace: Confronting the Past, Embracing Imperfection, and Finding Support | Pam Fields

In this episode of Life Repurposed, guest Pam Fields shares her journey through motherhood and her mission to support and mentor other moms. Pam opens up about the challenges she faced as a young mother, feeling unprepared and overwhelmed by the responsibilities of raising children. She shares how her faith in God and the guidance from mentors and resources helped her navigate the complexities of motherhood. Join Michelle and Pam as they explore the importance of creating a community for moms to connect, learn, and support each other.

Show Notes

Motherhood is a challenging yet incredibly rewarding journey that requires learning, growth, and support. In Episode 158 of the Life Repurposed podcast, host Michelle Rayburn and guest Pam Fields tackle the realities of motherhood, highlighting the need for practical skills and guidance in this role.

Pam candidly shares her own experience of motherhood as a crash course. From raising a 2-year-old and an infant to later giving birth to twins and eventually expanding her family to nine children, her journey was a whirlwind of joys and challenges. Like many new mothers, Pam found herself feeling overwhelmed and unsure of how to navigate the uncharted waters of motherhood. She realized that not all aspects of being a mom come naturally and sought instruction and learning to help strengthen her skills.

Pam emphasizes the importance of forming connections with other moms and seeking guidance from older, wiser women. She recounts her own spiritual awakening at a church camp during her teenage years, which set her on a path of wholeheartedly following Jesus.

One of the pivotal moments in Pam's motherhood journey was when she felt overwhelmed and surrendered to God for guidance and help. This surrender not only changed her perspective on parenting, but it also allowed her to find joy in the midst of the chaos. Pam believes that surrendering to God is key to finding fulfillment and peace in motherhood.

Moved by her own experiences and a desire to help other moms who feel lost and are seeking guidance, Pam started a blog and later turned to Facebook and Instagram to connect with and mentor moms. Her Tending Fields ministry focuses on addressing various aspects of motherhood through a supportive and encouraging community based on biblical principles.

No mother enters into the role fully prepared, and that's okay. Motherhood is a journey of growth and learning, requiring us to embrace imperfection and seek support. By connecting with other moms, surrendering to God, and navigating the challenges together, we can find joy and fulfillment in the beautiful chaos of motherhood. Remember, your story matters, and your unique experiences can inspire others in their own journey. You are not alone.

Topics

Becoming a Mom: "When I hit motherhood, I really was lost. I didn't really know how to do it... when I became a mom, I kinda realized that it was all on me all day, every day... I was very unprepared, very overwhelmed."— Pam Fields

Finding Faith in Unexpected Places: "I don't care what my parents do. I don't care what my dad does. I don't care about what anybody else does. I'm gonna follow Jesus."— Pam Fields

Motherhood: "But this little boy was just on wheels, and he was all over the place. Never stopped talking. Never stopped moving. And I, again, had not seen different creative modeling done. . . .

Of course, at that point, I'd only practiced this motherhood stuff, of course, as a babysitter. Right? So I'm out of my tricks. And my little Mary Poppins bag, it's not working anymore."— Pam Fields

Motherhood: "As much as we say that motherhood is instinctual, and you'll just know what to do... it might come naturally for some, but it doesn't for everybody."— Pam Fields

The Challenges of Motherhood: "I realized again I was in over my head, and I made another call to my husband. And I said, “That lady on the news, I get it. Mhmm. I understand. And I know exactly what she was feeling, and I'm scared.’"— Pam Fields

The Importance of Older Women in Motherhood: "We need to lock arms with other moms... We need to find older women... We need to be one another's support system."— Pam Fields

PTSD and Motherhood: "And I thought, you're all wet. You have no idea. You know, like, I am a new creation in Christ when I came to the Lord at 15. Old ways passed away. New ways are come. I am, like, shellacked. Like, nonstick coating. You know? Like, that stuff doesn't stick to me. But I do find now that it has. You know, it's affected my relationships with my children. Some in beautiful and really great ways. Right? And some ways not."— Pam Fields

The Power of Everyday Moms: "We're called in Psalms to step up and tell the next generation to give God the glory and to share of the great things he's done." — Pam Fields

Resources 

Tending Fields website

The Mom Next Door: Stories of Faith Podcast

Mentioned in the episode: Andrea Yates story