Mama, you are created to be a masterpiece.

Do you believe God is the conductor of your soul? A conductor who can help you play the greatest symphony pieces within? The word symphony comes from an ancient Greek word that means “a sounding together.”  When you find your rhythms, you start to play a harmony that is pleasing to your soul. 

You don’t have to overload yourself with difficult goals or resolutions. You just need your mind, body and the Spirit of the Lord within. Feeling tired, overwhelmed, anxious, angry, depressed are all signs your body is screaming for help, mama.

Each season brings new rhythms. It’s taken many years and hard work for me to find freedom from addiction, unhealthy mindsets, abuse, fear, unforgiveness, pride, depression, anxiety, and anger. 

And trust me, Jesus is still doing a mighty work in me! 

But how do we get out of Sync from our natural, healthy rhythms?

We get out of sync when we are not following the rhythms within.

As a single mom, my personal challenges have included raising a son with his own challenges, being a caregiver, leading some of the most broken mama’s in my city, and bearing their burdens. These challenges could easily have taken me down had I chose not to listen to the tunes within.

When we find the right rhythms we get to become a victor of liberating joy, peace, rest, and knowing we are worthy to be loved. I know being filled with fear and anxiety can make us become ill in debilitating ways. I’ve almost drowned in those waters. More times than I can count. It’s marvelous to have reached a place that allows the waves of grace, truth, and the love of Jesus to wash over me. Being refined with each one.

When we allow ourselves to be the creature in the presence of our Creator, we touch something more real in ourselves and others than what we are all able to produce.  We touch our very being in God. And that is what our world needs most—from each and every one of us. – Ruth Haley Barton

So what are the many different rhythms that help us find freedom?

1. The Rhythm of Prayer

God loves spoiling you. Jesus loves walking with you. And the Holy Spirit loves fighting for you. Prayer is how we must fight every battle sister! And if it isn’t already, I pray it is the most essential and powerful rhythm you create. You are a beloved daughter of the King of Kings. You are chosen and called to be more than a conquer.

Prayer is a rhythm that has become intertwined through every second of my day. When my notes start to go off tune I know I can go to Jesus to get my strings aligned. 

And doesn’t life have a way of unleashing wild chaos?

Like a client peeing on my front seat, a mama calling for the 100th time in the last hour, my son behind on his schoolwork or two tires blew out on the interstate while I have five bucks in my account. It’s the rhythm of prayer that has welcomed me to “be still”, call out to Jesus, and be filled with peace knowing my cries are heard.

It is in this chaos I have learned there is power in his presence.

We are strengthened through each trial and the symphony within us begins to play louder and louder.

Slaying every giant in our way.

2. The Rhythm of Rest

I bet we can all agree on one beat we miss as solo mamas. That is the rhythm of rest. 

We tell ourselves it’s impossible to get rest. There is too much to do and not enough time or help to get it all done.

Sweet sister, can I offer that is a lie straight from the devil? Truth is, without rest we become overwhelmed, exhausted, angry, depressed, and vulnerable to the enemy.

And on top of it all, our households and kids are in chaos. Rest in the Lord, surrendering all of you and your burdens at the feet of Jesus.

This allows you to release and be filled with peace, wisdom, and assurance. I know this personally. I have to have eight hours of sleep each night and guard my Sabbath day to keep my sanity. It’s easy to become overwhelmed and say or do things you will regret later when you’re without rest. You have to say no sometimes, even to the fun stuff. You might need to turn off your phone, stay off social media or get out in nature.

Whatever it takes for you to rest well. Whatever makes your spirit sing a song of rest.

Alone time is good for the soul. It gives you time to get to know yourself and Jesus more intimately. It also allows you to be a beautiful melody to those you encounter each day. I challenge you to take a day out of each week to rest and let Jesus into those empty spaces.

New songs will be birthed! 

3. The Rhythm of Relationship

What heart song are you asking God for? Jesus and community bring a symphony piece of freedom that every solo mama is longing for.  God never intended us to do life alone and sometimes it is only because of this space you get to rest.

You are called to live in community with others.

You need a safe place to bring your best, worst, and not be judged. A community that celebrates with you, mourns with you, encourages you, sharpens you, and loves you through it all. Brothers and sisters who Jesus can use to fill those gaps where you fall short. Letting Jesus into those hard moments and allowing your community to fight that battle with you.

These are the rhythms that bring liberation. These types of relationships have brought divine healing to mine and my son’s lives. On those really hard days, as a solo mama to a teenager, it’s freeing to go to a sister or brother in my community and ask for help. Mamas, we need good men speaking life into our children and encouraging us. We need sisters to link arms with and break the strongholds that hold us back.

We need truth-tellers in our lives.

We need Jesus!

What does your relationship with Jesus and your community look like? 

4. The Rhythm of Celebration

Rhythms of celebration, especially in the darkest days.

In our home, we have dance parties with Jesus. A lot. It prepares our hearts for a new day. It also tells the enemy he has no place in our home, heart, or our life. 

It’s time we take our lives back and claim our freedom. Jam out in the car, treat yourself to a coffee, eat cupcakes with the kiddos, have a dance party in your living room. 

Enjoy this journey mama. 

Motherhood is hard but it is the greatest gift and one that should be honored and celebrated every day. 

If you’re anything like me, celebrating your achievements is hard. I’m always in a rush to do the next thing. This season, I’m learning to sit and celebrate every victory. We deserve to be celebrated and so do our children.

Be cheerful with joyous celebrations in every season of life. Let joy overflow, for you are united with the Anointed One!

-Philippians 4:4

What are you celebrating in this new season?

5. The Rhythm of Declaration

Declaration is a powerful rhythm that can bring deliverance into our lives. Choosing to speak life over you, your children, your finances, your home, your family, and your friends, brings dead things back to life.

Power of life and death in the tongue.

I struggled with a negative mindset my whole life being raised by a family with a negative mindset. By the grace of God, reading his word and speaking affirmations daily over myself that stronghold is broken.

Hallelujah!!

The enemy attacks us by stealing our identities, causing us to hide behind shame and guilt. God’s desire for us is to come out of hiding. He wants us to remove the labels and shades causing us to hide. 

In order to seek life mama, you have to speak life. 

I wear a bracelet each season with a verse on it to keep encouraged. I have affirmations all through my home to speak out when I’m stepping into my old ways. I stay in community. I keep worship and upbeat music on at all times. Be creative in adding more upbeat rhythms to your mind, body, and spirit.

These are simple ways to change your mindset and change your life. 

“Open the window of your mind. Allow the fresh air, new lights and new truths to enter.”

– Amit Ray

This new year, I pray you passionately seek your rhythms and begin to play the most beautiful symphony your heart has ever heard. A symphony that starts to take hold in the hearts and lives around you. Songs of deliverance, healing, love, restoration, peace, forgiveness, and wholeness. The songs are limitless mama. We are gifted new ones each day.

Always know you are worthy, loved, seen, held, healed, and His. 

– Stacy

Stacy Hester has been a single mom for 15 years to a son challenged with Aspergers and domestic violence PTSD. Her greatest blessing has been a front-row seat to his freedom. She also serves as a “Street Minister” to single moms, their children and their families in Zephyrhills, Florida. Stacy is the highly passionate, dedicated, and fierce shepherd of Solo Moms, a ministry for single moms who struggle with mental illness and addiction. Stacy experiences the liberation and release of such strongholds in her life, and she inspires single moms to break free from and be released of those very strongholds through living out her message of hope, encouragement, and love. She has experienced transformation in her life from evolving from a Saul into a Paul and leans upon her love for Jesus to live out her Solo Moms mission to “Rescue, Restore, and Rebuild” each and every single mom she loves and serves.