If there’s one thing I’ve learned since becoming a mom, it’s that worry never really goes away.

It just changes.

When Luci was a baby, I worried about whether she was breathing at night, if she was eating enough, if she would hit her milestones because she was a preemie. Now that she’s 5, the worries have grown.

The older she gets, the bigger the problems seem to be, and that terrifies me.

And I know it’s only going to get harder.

Motherhood has made me realize just how little control I actually have.

That realization has been completely terrifying.

It is the thing I worry about the most, the thing that keeps me up at night, and the thing I pray the most about.

That realization is the sole thing that keeps bringing me to Jesus.

Why Do We Worry So Much?

For me, worry and fear have been lifelong battles. My childhood was filled with chaos, a lack of control, and seeing the darkness in people that I love and trusted the most. It made me hyper-vigilant, always bracing for what might come next.

That’s a hard habit to break.

Then I became a mom, and it spiraled.

The fear. The worry. The need to keep her safe at all costs.

Add in the constant stream of information online; the news, things happening to children, and it is just too much for me.

I know that my worrying won’t actually keep her safe—only God can do that.

But that’s easier said than done, isn’t it?

Lately, I’ve also noticed that the older she gets, the more I struggle with the behavior of people around us. If something (or someone) doesn’t align with keeping her safe (not just physically safe, but also emotionally), I instinctively want to back away. I’ve even pulled away from people I love because I feel this overwhelming need to protect her.

And while boundaries are good, I also have to ask myself: Am I trusting God, or am I trying to control every little thing myself?

Jesus speaks directly to our anxious hearts in Matthew 6:

If He takes care of the birds, how much more will He take care of our babies?

How to Actually Let Go and Let God Have Control

I hear this phrase all the time: Let go and let God!

It sounds great. But… how? 

Because, honestly, my brain doesn’t have an “off” switch when it comes to worry.

Here are a few things that have helped me (and maybe they’ll help you too):

1. Pray first, panic later (or not at all).

My natural instinct is to panic and spiral and then maybe pray about it later. But when I stop and pray first, something shifts. The problem might not go away, but my heart settles a little.

God already knows what’s on my heart. He’s just waiting for me to hand it over.

2. Replace worry with truth.

When my thoughts start spiraling, I try to stop and ask: What does God say about this?

• When I feel out of control → “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

• When I’m afraid for Luci’s safety → “He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge.” (Psalm 91:4)

• When I feel overwhelmed → “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

  
  

I’ve started writing verses on sticky notes and putting them in places where I’ll see them often—my bathroom mirror, my fridge, even the dashboard of my car.

3. Remember how He’s come through before.

I have seen God show up so many times in my life.

Yet, when a new fear or problem arises, I suddenly forget everything He’s done.

So, I started keeping a journal of answered prayers—big and small.

When I’m overwhelmed, I flip through it and remind myself: He’s never failed me before. He won’t start now.

4. Take it one day at a time.

Jesus literally tells us in Matthew 6:34:

Amen to that.

Instead of trying to control the next 10 years, I’m learning to just take today as it comes. To enjoy Luci while she’s still little.

To trust that God is guiding both of us, step by step.

Jesus Is Holding Her Hand Too

Lately, I’ve been forcing my brain to see this image: Jesus holding Luci’s hand through life, just like He has for me. And honestly? It’s so comforting.

It reminds me that even though my childhood was an absolute mess, He never left me. He has very purposefully guided me—through people, through events, through that good ol’ gut feeling.

And just like He led me, He is leading her too.

I don’t have to walk this road alone. And neither does she.

God Loves Our Kids Even More Than We Do

At the end of the day, that’s what brings me peace:

God loves Luci even more than I do.

I would lay down my life for her in a heartbeat. But Jesus already did.

And because of that, I can let go.

I can loosen my grip, even when it feels impossible.

I can surrender my fear, my worry, my desperate need to control every little thing.

Not perfectly. Not all at once. But one day at a time.

So, if you’re like me—if you feel that weight of worry pressing in—just take a deep breath. Give it to Him. And then give it to Him again tomorrow.

He’s got us. And He’s got our babies too.

Father God,

I come before You with an open but weary heart. You see the weight of my worries, the fears that grip me, and the desperate desire to protect what is most precious to me. You know how hard it is for me to let go, how much I struggle to trust that You are in control.

Lord, I lift up every mother reading this who carries the same burdens. We try so hard to keep our children safe, to make the right decisions, to shield them from pain. But the truth is—we cannot do it alone. We were never meant to.

So today, I surrender my fears to You. I place my child in Your hands, just as I place my own heart in Your care. Remind me, Lord, that You are walking with her just as You have walked with me. That You have never left me, even in the hardest moments of my life, and You will never leave her either.

Help me to trust You, not just with my words but with my heart. When fear creeps in, replace it with Your peace. When worry takes over, help me to cling to Your promises.

You are a good and faithful Father. And I choose, even when it’s hard, to rest in the truth that You love my child even more than I do.

Thank You for carrying what I cannot. Thank You for guiding both of us, step by step, day by day.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.