Not because staying home with your kids is terrible. Not because working is better. And definitely not because I think every mom needs something outside of motherhood to be fulfilled.

I just don't think it's what God is asking me to do in this season.

And it has taken me a while to say that without feeling guilty about it.

The comparison trap.

Over the last couple of years, I've found myself surrounded by a lot of really incredible moms. Some homeschool. Some stay home. Some work part-time. Some work full-time. Some send their kids to preschool. Some keep their kids home until kindergarten.

And I have compared myself to ALLLLL of them.

No one had to say anything to make me feel guilty. I could do that all by myself.

I would see another mom spending all day with her kids and immediately start doing the math in my head about how many hours I had been at work that week.

When we decided to send our kids to preschool, I felt guilty about that too. They're little. Did they really need to go to school yet? Should I keep them home longer? Am I missing something by sending them?

Then back-to-school came. They went to school. I went to work. We got back into a routine.

And you know what? I felt joy.

My kids were excited to go to school. I was excited to go to work. We had structure again. We had things to talk about when we came back together.

Instead of feeling depleted by trying to force myself into what I thought a "good mom" was supposed to look like, I felt like myself again.

I realized something I think I've known for a long time but haven't always lived like I believed:

I cannot measure my obedience against someone else's assignment.

If God has asked another mom to stay home with her babies, then that is her obedience.

If He has asked another mom to homeschool, that is hers.

If He's called someone to a classroom or an office or a hospital or a coffee shop, that's hers.

And if I spend all my time looking sideways at what God has asked someone else to do, I am going to completely miss what He is asking me to do.

There was a season when staying home was exactly where I needed to be.

This isn't that season.

Right now, I believe part of my assignment is raising my babies. Part of it is building a business. Part of it is loving my husband. Part of it is leading worship. Part of it is creating a place where other moms can walk through the doors, drink a coffee while it's still hot, and feel a little less alone.

Those things don't compete with my motherhood. They're all pieces of the life God has given me to steward.

And maybe someday my assignment changes again. If it does, I hope I'll have enough faith to follow Him there too.

So here's your reminder today:

Another mom doing motherhood differently than you isn't evidence that you're doing it wrong.

Her yes doesn't have to be your yes. And your yes doesn't make hers wrong either.

Ask God what He's asking of you in this season. Then give yourself permission to find joy there.

Because I don't think we're supposed to spend our lives becoming really good at living someone else's calling.

I think we're supposed to be faithful with our own.

Stay Pink
-Rachel

There. I said it. 😂

And before anyone comes for me — I was a stay-at-home mom. For two years, actually.

After leaving teaching, I stayed home with my babies. There were really beautiful parts of that season. It was exactly where I needed to be at the time, and I will always be grateful I got to have it.

But right now? I would be terrible at it.