A Letter to Single Moms

My dad left my mom when I was one.  I am his only son.  I have three older sisters.  My mom, now a retired O.R. nurse after 45 years, was a single mom.  After the divorce, that apartment in Pacoima was small.  But we got by, we stayed a family.   

And the fires of divorce still burn brightly, charring families which are the fabric of our community.  And there are women who are now single, now struggling, with and without kids, struggling to find hope in their heart.  Well, I am now that grown-up kid that my mom fretted over as a young boy without a father.  And so I write, from the other side, to encourage the single moms.  This is a letter to all of you single moms, or any other woman in need for that matter, who might need encouragement.  So allow me, if I may, to bear your burdens and try to put hope in your heart, with no cost and no strings.  Just the heart of a son for his mom, and other moms.    

As a son and a pastor, I can think of three things that would be helpful for you to remember during this time, to keep hope alive in your heart. 

“I need help!  I feel like the weight of the world is on me now!  I am so depressed!  And I have so much to do, being Daddy and Mommy, but I can barely make it out of bed!”

Cast Your Burden Upon the Lord!

Psalm 37:5-6  “Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.  And He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.”

You were never designed to carry your own burdens.  Cast your burdens on the Lord’s shoulders, and He will carry it for you.  Trust Him, follow Him, and He will come through for you.  He takes a special interest in the care of women who no longer have their husbands (Psalm 146:9).  And as a father to the fatherless and a provider for the widow, He will come to the aid of those who trust Him!

“I thought I was doing everything I could!  And after all that time and effort, he leaves me!  He let me down, yes, but what’s worse is he let down his own kids!” 

God Will Never Let You Down!

Hebrews 13:5-6  “God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’  So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?’”

Yes, he may have been unfaithful.  That’s what happens when a man is driven by lust, and not love.  But not so with God!  He will never divorce or leave His children.  He provides for His own as a loving, faithful Father!  Besides, no man can ever fill the void in a woman’s heart that only God can fill.  Look to God, not a man.  And if you trust Him, He will provide for you.           

“And now what do I do?  I am so confused, and I never planned on this!”  

God Will Provide for You, Always!

Romans 8:32  “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?”

My mom didn’t plan on being a single mom either.  My dad emptied the bank and took off.  But think about it, there is purpose in your pain.  If God provided His own Son (the greatest gift) for your salvation (the greatest need), then won’t He provide everything else for you?  So trust Him.  Trust your life to Him.  He will never let you down.  On the cross, nearing death, Jesus provided for His own mother (John 19:26-27).  He will provide for you!

Remember, you are not alone.  There are many others who are just like you.  And there is so much more to say, so please contact us if you have any questions.   

Intended with all humility and all sincerity, to keep hope alive.