Speaker and author Teresa deBorde Glenn is on a mission: to help moms find peace amidst the chaos of mothering. Through gentle mentoring, she encourages women to partner with God through the everyday circumstances of life. She blogs at celebratethefamily.org and has recently published her first book, Becoming A Peaceful Mom: Through Every Season of Raising Your Child.

Teresa, welcome. What prompted your journey toward peace?

I became increasingly aware that I craved peace.  I wasn’t yearning for more time away from our young children or for quiet in our home—I loved the liveliness of our home.  My yearning was internal. I worried over decisions and relationships, struggled to balance everything, and wrestled with insecurity, especially as a mother. One day I realized that peace blanketed my heart when I read the scriptures and when I pray at random moments of the day, like emptying the dishwasher or as I prepared supper.

What does it look like to live life as a peaceful mom?

We draw from the well of our relationship with God—even if it’s a new well. We learn to partner with Him, to rely on Him throughout the day. We grow to trust that He knows us best, knows our child best, and holds the best plan for our relationship and our lives. Through this relationship, God grows His fruit of peace in us.

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In context of being a peaceful mom, what does it mean for you to celebrate beauty amidst the brokenness?

Over and over, I’ve been humbled by my ugliness or wilfulness toward my children. I celebrate beauty in God’s goodness, redemption, and healing in the midst of my brokenness. He gave me each child, knowing every way I would mess up. He forgives me, and this love leads me to desire heart-change and healing. He heals my children and shows the way toward stronger relationship. Lovingly yet firmly, God refines my brokenness and shapes the beauty that He has seen all along.

What one word of encouragement would you give to moms who struggle to find peace in the day-to-day?

Draw near to God. He is the true source of anchoring peace. God made you for relationship with Him, which means the time for this relationship exists in your day and He’ll show you how. Invite Him in to every part of your day, as you walk through it. Talk to him. He’s right there with you.

And finally, what books are on your nightstand right now?

I recently finished Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan, The Way of the Heart by Henry J.M. Nouwen, and Real and True by Chloe and Linda Grabeman. I’m slowly tackling Bonhoeffer by Eric Metaxas.

Thank you so much, Teresa! A pleasure to have you here today. 

About the author: Teresa and her husband Terrell, an Anglican bishop and pastor, celebrate 29 years married and have three grown children. They live in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina.

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About the book (from the publisher): Peaceful mom. It hardly seems that the words could go together. Yet the peace we crave can be ours in every season of raising children.

Whether you have teenagers or toddlers, being a mom is a daunting and amazing responsibility. And it’s a part of God’s design for you. You are deeply loved by God. Draw from the well of a relationship with him–even if it’s a new well–to sift through all that the world plops in your path. Learn to partner with him. Grow stronger and more confident and begin to see your self the way God sees you–as a woman, as a mom, and as his child.

Be encouraged and motivated through prayer and dialogue examples, personal stories, and scripture applications. Consider your approach to being a mom, making commitments, and the power of forgiveness. Discover how God works through you to raise and shape your children, as you learn and grow with a peace that is truly beyond understanding.

Buy it here.