Encouraged + Empowered: A Devotional for New Moms

By Lauren Best

Encouraged + Empowered, a 60-day devotional for Moms, was birthed out of a heart's cry to hear how the Lord sees and values Motherhood, especially in the middle of the difficult seasons of life. This devotional will bolster your faith, boost your joy, and help you hold fast to hope in the Lord. Author Lauren Best will guide you into revelatory moments with the Lord as you experience more of His presence, recognize His power in your life, and are reminded of your purpose as a Mother. Through this devotional, you will rediscover the heart of God towards Mothers in “lessons of devotion” such as: Trouble to Triumph, Living as Royalty, Generations of Hope, Flourish, and Fierce Faith.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Dec 13, 2023
• ISBN: 9798385010011

Lauren Best

Lauren Best is a mother of two with a background in elementary education, behavioral therapy, and worship leadership. She is passionate about sharing Biblical revelations with fresh insight from the Holy Spirit to help Mothers uncover how they can live encouraged and empowered in Christ. She lives in Tampa, Florida with her husband and two children.

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Copyright © 2023 Lauren Best.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

844-714-3454

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Editor: Brookann Payseno

ISBN: 979-8-3850-1000-4 (sc)

ISBN: 979-8-3850-1002-8 (hc)

ISBN: 979-8-3850-1001-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023919507

WestBow Press rev. date: 10/09/2023

Dedication

To each and every new Mom

and every Momma with years of parenthood behind her

This is for you.

Table of Contents

Foreword

Our First Relationship

Spiritual Rebirth

Relinquishing Control

Family Resemblance

Focus on the Source

Come to the Father

My Heavenly Father is in Control

He Loves You As You Are

Warrior Woman

Cleansed

Trouble to Triumph

Power

Calling to Mind

Enough

Living as Royalty

Buried Treasure

Overflow

Joy

Victorious

Cultivate Peace

Generations of Hope

Crowned

Your Will

A Beautiful Bride

The Greatest

Weaponry

Fierce Faith

Hold Fast to His Feet

Clothed & Covered

Shielded

Our Safe Place

Let Love Lead

Goodness & Grace

Fulfilling Fullness

Occupied

The Key

Overshadowed

Outweighed

Seek the Light

My Song

The Master Builder

Refreshment

Pain to Promise

My Light & My Life

Sit With Me

Close

Flourish

Rest & Restoration

Far Off

Reverse the Curse

Empty Spaces

The Secret Place

Sweetness

Follow the Leader

Foundations

Cornerstone

Confidence

Enthroned

A Glimpse of Heaven

Altar of Atonement

Foreword

This little devotional book is a five-year labor of love, written for Moms, by a Mom.

Encouraged + Empowered was born during years of struggles with postpartum depression, mountaintop moments, and days that ended in tears. It started in the Pacific Northwest—borrowed moments with the Father during naptimes—when my firstborn was five months old. From there it grew: while we flipped our first house, through eight different moves, the birth of my daughter . . . and even our first Florida hurricane.

Through these many seasons of stretching, the Lord shared so much of His wisdom and His heart with me. He revealed the depths of His faithfulness and love when I needed it most. And when He pressed it on my heart to share that spiritual gold, He also had you in mind. God desires to share His heart with you; He wants to remind you that you are seen, you are loved, and that every bit of your motherhood journey matters.

My prayer is that you would use this book to connect with the Lord in a style unique to you. If a certain devotional day speaks to you on new levels, allow it to open up your heart to the Lord in a new way, asking Him why it speaks to you. Feel free to use this book as a tool: to connect with your current spiritual needs; to explore topics of interest; or to gain a deeper understanding of a Scripture passage and circle back to other devotions when you’re ready.

Although some devotionals are aimed specifically at new Moms, most of these devotions are also relevant to Moms who have surpassed the early years. My hope is that every Mom will be able to take away some gold from this book to add to your own spiritual treasury.

As a fellow Mom, let me be the first to say that I have not mastered any of the topics in this devotional; I have simply been inspired to chase after my Heavenly Father in a fresh, new way . . . and that is what I hope to offer you.

Let me be your cheerleader as we run the race together towards Jesus (and after our little ones), that we may empower each other along the way.

God Bless you, Momma!

Love, Lauren

Our First Relationship

This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name . . .

Matthew 6:9

Long before you became a mother, you entered the world with silky smooth cheeks and plump little fingers. Your title was daughter. You might have been called baby, sweetheart, or any other number of names, but you were, and are—first and foremost—a daughter.

When Jesus first taught the disciples how to pray, He instructed them to call the Lord, Father. Out of all of the crowning titles He could’ve given them to use, Father was first—not king, not teacher, not even Lord. He offered us a name so much closer, so much more intimate and familial.

Whatever this new day holds for you, your Heavenly Father longs to be close to you—to love, to guide you, and to show you the depth of joy as His heart delights over you—as you embark on this incredible journey through motherhood.

Today, let’s remember to be daughters, even before being mothers. Let us sit at the feet of our Father in adoration of His intimate and unconditional love for us.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for adopting me as Your daughter and reminding me that my identity is in You. Help me to intentionally seek You and walk in Your love every day. Amen.

Spiritual Rebirth

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the LORD’s glory, are being transformed into his image