{I’m THRILLED to introduce you to today’s guest poster, Momma Kristi! Kristi is the mom of three little boys and the creator of an amazing new site called Must Love God. I highly recommend that you run over to the MLG community and take a look around…after you read this post that is…Everyone welcome Kristi!}

I was a strong independent woman at one time.  I graduated from college with a doctorate degree, had a good job, and was even building a house.  I thought all my skeletons of fear and anxiety were shoved nicely in the closet.Skip ahead a few years- a wonderful husband and expecting our first child.  Those skeletons slowly crept back out, slivering, sneaking their way back into my life.

“What if something happens to the baby?”
“What if I’m not a good mother?”
“What will labor be like?”
“Baby, I’m scared!!!”

My husband Jason learned quickly how to respond and you say, “what are you afraid of?”  “I don’t know,” I’d respond, “the unkown?”

“Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid” he’d always quote Joshua back to me.  Even in labor, he whispered those words in my ears.

The story fast forwards again three years- three beautiful rambunctious boys (born over a three year time period).  Slowly I try to shut those skeletons back in the closet, for good this time, not to ever come back.  I love my life, my family, and my God.  There is nothing to fear.

“I’m scared,” says my oldest.  My response, “be strong and courageous”.  We even practiced making brave faces and showing our muscles on the way to preschool.

“I’m afraid,” whines my middle boy, just the other day even.  “Be strong and courageous.” We start this process again.

Now my baby, he seems to be afraid of nothing right now, but if he ever utters those words….”be strong and courageous” will be my response.

I often wondered how my past skeletons would affect those future babies.  And as I currently get a stronger handle on my own fears and anxieties, I want to teach my boys too, how to lay those concerns at Jesus’ feet.  I’m realizing the closet is no place to shove those skeletons, as they only creep back out over time.

I see that the only way I can instill confidence and wellness in my own sons’ is to be confident and well myself.  I’ve come face to face with the woman in the mirror.  I’ve vowed to get well, to change my lifestyle, to be healthy and confident.  Those are the traits I want my boys to learn from me.

How do you show confidence in front of your boys? Has your lack of it has affected them?
Kristi is a Jesus-girl, wife to her best friend, and mom to three amazing little boys. She works full time as a pharmacist in a local hospital on the weekends and is a stay at home mom during the week. Kristi lives in suburbia but dreams of moving with her husband and boys to the country. She blogs at MommaKristi where she shares her faith filled journey through motherhood. Kristi also contributes at Sisters in Bloom and is a OneVerse Blogger. She is the founder/creator of Must Love God which fills her passion for helping women focus on wellness and wholeness.