Three Ways to Break the Worry Habit

I am super excited about today’s post!  Cindi McMenamin has long been one of my favorite authors, and I have had the privilege of connecting with her online in the past year through my blog.  Cindi’s books are always practical, Christ-centered, and tremendously encouraging.  So, needless to say, I was so excited with the release of her latest book, 10 Secrets to Becoming a Worry-Free Mom.  If you struggle with worry, like I do, then this book is for you!  Cindi graciously agreed to write the following guest post for my readers.  Keep reading to the end for a chance to win a copy of Cindi’s new book!

“Three Ways to Break the Worry Habit”                                                                                                                            By Cindi McMenamin

Is worry stressing you out?

Is it affecting your health and your home?

Is it damaging your relationships with your children?

Chances are the answer is “yes” to all three of those questions and you and I haven’t even realized it.

Worry has a way of creeping into our lives and gradually making its home with us. It usually enters the front door of our minds in the form of two dangerous words: What if?

• What if my children get hurt?
• What if they don’t make friends?
• What if they follow the wrong crowd?
• What if they’re lying to me?
• What if they never get married?
• And even…. What if I’m not a good enough mom?

I can give you three good reasons why we need to break the worry habit when it comes to parenting:

1. Worry causes stress – and stress kills.
2. Worry pushes our children away. When they believe we will worry about what we tell them, they will eventually decide not to tell us as much, and we’ll find we have even more to worry about.
3. Worry models mistrust to our children. Worry says to our children and others: “God can’t work this out.” How we live will, to a great degree, impact how our children live and what we worry about, they will tend to worry about, too.

I realized one day, after spending time in God’s Word, that at the root of all my worries and “What if” questions was the truth of what I really believe about God’s character. When my mind played through the various scenarios I would worry about, the question I was really asking was “What if God isn’t able?” “What if God isn’t good?” “What if God can’t handle this?”

And that was not an attitude, question, or mindset I wanted to have. So I decided it was time to break the worry habit.

There’s a reason God’s Word tells us: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.  Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 4:6-7, NLT).

God is basically telling us how to be stress free and live more peaceful, contented lives. I find that as I give God all of my what ifs and worries He calms my heart and reminds me that He is in absolute control. Then I can encourage my child, rather than stress her out with my worry and make her think she’s better off not letting me know what’s going on in her life.

As I was writing my book, 10 Secrets to Becoming a Worry-Free Mom, based on my own experience mothering – as well as wisdom and advice from many other moms – I found that there are physical, emotional, and spiritual benefits to breaking the worry habit.

One of the benefits of praying for, rather than worrying about, our kids, is the incredible peace God offers as the Perfect Parent who allows us to partner with Him in raising, loving, and caring (not worrying) for our kids. Another benefit is the improved relationship with God, our kids, and our husband as we become encouragers, rather than worriers.

So how do you break the worry habit when it comes to your children? It’s as easy as A-B-C:

A – Admit you do not have control over your child’s life. As good of a monitor as you and I may be – about our children’s entertainment, friends, and whereabouts – our children will eventually be exposed to something or make a decision on their own that we have no control over. And as careful of a mom as we try to be, our children might still get hurt. So, the first step is to give up the quest for control and say aloud: “I am not in control of my child’s life. God is.”

B – Believe God wants only the best for you AND your child. Sometimes we fear that God will ask something of us or our children that we’re not willing to give. When you understand that God loves your child even more than you do, and He loves you more than you can imagine, there is peace in placing yourself and your child in God’s hands – no matter what.

C- Commit yourself to a deeper knowledge of God. I believe our worry (and security) factor is directly related to how well we know God. When we truly know Him and understand all that He is capable of, we can’t help but trust Him. As you grow in a more intimate relationship with God, your worries will fall by the wayside. And you’ll have a new, healthier habit: Trust.

Would you like to win a free copy of Cindi’s newest book, 10 Secrets to Becoming a Worry-Free Mom?  To enter, simply*:

1. Leave a comment below about why this book would be helpful for you.
2. Share this post on your Facebook page.

That’s it! Winner will be chosen at random and announced on Wednesday, March 16th on The Healthy Happy Woman’s Facebook page (*for U.S. Residents only).

Cindi McMenamin is a national speaker and author of more than a dozen books, including When Women Walk Alone, (more than 125,000 copies sold), When a Woman Inspires Her Husband, and her newest, 10 Secrets to Becoming a Worry-Free Mom . Cindi and her husband, Hugh, live in Southern California with their daughter, Dana. For more on her ministry, see her website: StrengthForTheSoul.com or find her on Facebook.