A Message of Inspiration From the Author of Living Loved, May 10, 2026
MOMMAS, THERE IS A BEAST OUT FOR YOU!!
Bear with me, it’s long, but I pray it will be worth it. A story from when I was a young momma.
There I was, walking into Walmart with a young child in tow, ragged and dirty from camping, and a baby in the bottom of my cart in one of those carrier things. I hadn’t had a baby in tow in a long time, and especially not one that wasn’t mine. Moving on. So there I was, making a right into the produce section, and there she came. A beautiful young mom who was adorably dressed, kids immaculately clean with perfectly coifed hair and dresses.
I immediately turned my gaze elsewhere, thinking, “Please don’t see me, please don’t see me!” But inevitably she saw me. We spoke for a few minutes about how cute the little munchkin in the cart was, and I complimented her kids and how cute and sweet they were.
And that, my friends, was when it happened. Just like that. It happened.
Okay, so at that compliment she begins to pour out how difficult the last few days had been. How the kids had been fighting. How she was at her wits’ end with fighting to comb their hair, brush their teeth, eat a real meal, keep the house clean, etc.
And in that moment I said, “Me too!”
And you know what? She completely melted and said she was so glad that she wasn’t the only one. She wasn’t sure why she even began pouring out to me (I hear that a lot), but it just came out. She said she felt safe.
We shared some “horror” stories, laughed at each other’s squabbles with our kids, and just straight-up felt relieved that we weren’t alone in this craziness.
I have to tell you, when I saw her I was “certain” she had it “all together” and had the perfect kids, and never did she dare take them in public looking the way me and my child currently looked. But the truth was that she struggles just like me and, if we are honest, just like all of us!
Mommas, it’s so important for us to kill the comparison beast and begin to be vulnerable, be real, and be transparent with each other. To say the hard things. To say, “ME TOO!”
To know every momma out there wakes up with messy hair and drool stuck to their face. Every momma has kids who get dirty and don’t want their hair brushed or teeth brushed. Who don’t want to bathe. We all have messy homes sometimes. Sometimes we don’t “have it all together.”
But realize, Mommas, that if your kids are alive and fed, then you have accomplished something today!!
It’s okay to be real! It’s okay to struggle and not have a Pinterest-perfect home and family.
Let’s meet each other where we are with a big fat “ME TOO” and accept each other right here—in the messy, the tiring, the no-makeup, the hard days, the dirty-house-no-clean-underwear days. And even the “I have had an amazing day” days.
Let’s meet each other there with love and acceptance. Let’s be real and transparent so we can encourage each other and help each other laugh through the difficult days!
Let’s slay that comparison beast!! It kills intimacy and genuine friendships and fellowship!
Love you, Mommas!! And if you don’t look at my imperfect life, I won’t look at yours!
Happy Mother’s Day to the women holding it all together with dry shampoo, reheated coffee, tired eyes, and hearts full of love. You are doing better than you think you are. You are so loved friends! Live loved!!
About the author
Tracy Kelley is a follower of Jesus, mother, grandmother, author and speaker, living in Sulphur Springs, TX. She is the author of the book Living Loved, Learning to Live in the Fullness of Gods Love, where she shares encouragement from her daily journey and how God has shown His love to her through various trials. You can buy her book, find events, book her for your event, and follow her by going to her Facebook page, where you will always be greeted as friend! You can purchase her book at Good News Book Store in Sulphur Springs, TX; online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and most other major retailers.
