A Messy Kitchen and a Mama’s Prayer – A Story of Grace in the Middle of It All

The morning started like most others. Cereal on the floor. A baby on her hip. A preschooler in full meltdown mode because the red cup was in the dishwasher. Amanda blinked twice, trying to remember if she’d actually had coffee yet or just thought about having it.

The kitchen sink was already full, the laundry pile had started colonizing the hallway, and the dog had tracked muddy paw prints across the living room she just vacuumed. Again.
She sat the baby in the highchair, handed her a banana, and tried to exhale. It came out more like a sigh than a breath. It wasn’t even 9 a.m.

Amanda leaned on the counter and whispered, “Lord, I love them. I really do. But I am so tired.”

A Moment on the Floor

By 10 a.m., Amanda was sitting on the kitchen floor.

Not intentionally.
Her toddler had spilled an entire carton of milk, and while rushing to clean it, she slipped and landed right in the puddle.

For a moment, she just stayed there. Soaked in milk. Hair in a knot. Elmo playing in the background. And she started to laugh—but not the kind of laugh that bubbles with joy. It was that tired, half-crying, half-laughing sound that said: This is too much.

Her daughter came over with a blanket and gently placed it on her shoulders. “Here Mama. You cold?”
Amanda looked at her child, eyes wide with tenderness. “Yeah baby,” she whispered, “a little cold today.”

The Prayer in the Chaos

That night, when both children were finally asleep (after 3 stories, 2 bathroom breaks, and one meltdown about mismatched pajamas), Amanda curled into the couch with her Bible.
She didn’t read much. Honestly, she couldn’t even remember what she’d read the night before. But she remembered this one line from earlier that week:

“Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28
She thought about that for a long time.

Amanda wasn’t weary because she didn’t love her life. She was weary because she loved it so much—and it demanded everything.
She whispered a simple prayer, one she had said before in different words:
“Jesus, I’m doing my best. Please meet me in the mess.”

The Woman at the Well

The next day, during nap time, Amanda found herself reading about the woman at the well in John 4. It wasn’t a story she’d thought much about in relation to motherhood before. But this time it landed differently.

This woman had come to the well tired, worn, ashamed—looking for water, but needing far more.
Jesus didn’t shame her or correct her parenting techniques (thankfully!). He simply saw her. He knew her story. And He offered her something no one else had: living water.

Amanda’s eyes filled with tears.
“Lord,” she said softly, “I need that kind of water.”
Not a parenting book. Not an influencer’s hack for toddler snacks.
Just living water. Just grace.

Sunday in the Minivan

A week later, Amanda was in the minivan outside of church. Her husband had gone inside with the kids. She was still in the car. Wiping a spill off her dress. Trying to fix her mascara after a diaper blowout had derailed their arrival.

She almost didn’t go in.
But she remembered something: It’s not about coming to God perfect. It’s about coming to Him present.

So she took a breath, grabbed the diaper bag, and walked in. Not as a perfectly put-together mom. But as one deeply loved.

That day, during the last worship song, the lyrics hit her differently:
“You never asked me to be strong enough—You just asked me to come.”
And she wept.
Not because life was suddenly easy. Not because the kids had magically become quiet during prayer.
But because she knew: she wasn’t alone. Not even in the most undone parts of her.

What Grace Looks Like for the Overwhelmed Mama

You may be like Amanda today.
Maybe the milk has spilled, the baby is crying, and your heart feels a bit frayed around the edges.
But hear this: God is not waiting for you to get it all together.
He is already with you—in the dishes, the diapers, the doubts.

Here are 6 small but scripturally anchored ways to walk in that grace:

1. Pray Honestly
   You don’t need poetic prayers. Just whisper, “Help me, Lord,” and He hears. (Psalm 34:17)
   
2. Look for God in the Ordinary
   A kind word. A moment of stillness. That smile from your child. He’s there. (Isaiah 41:10)
3. Anchor in Scripture
   Even one verse on a sticky note can remind you who you are. (Romans 15:13)
4. Give Yourself Permission to Pause
   Jesus withdrew to rest. You can too. (Mark 6:31)
5. Speak Life Over Yourself
   Say, “I am doing holy work.” Because you are. (Proverbs 31:28)
6. Let Go of Perfection
   God calls you to faithfulness, not flawlessness. (Micah 6:8)

Dear Mama…
If you’re feeling overwhelmed today, please know you are not alone.
You are not failing.
You are not invisible.
You are not forgotten.
There is grace for this moment, and the next one too.

If your soul needs a soft place to land, we’ve created a gentle 7-day devotional just for you.

Grace for the Overwhelmed Mama was written to meet you in the mess and whisper peace into your weary places.
 
🕊️ Click here to discover the journal →

You don’t have to hold it all together. Come as you are.
There’s grace for you here.