Biblical Encouragement for New Parents

Are you a new parent? Do you feel like you’re in over your head? You are not alone. Many have gone before us as new parents and have much wisdom to share. And God, the ultimate parent, is caring for you, even while you find yourself stretched beyond any expectation in this new season of your life.

When I first became a father, I thought I knew what to expect. After all, I was the oldest child in my family and had been a very hands-on big brother. I changed diapers, prepared bottles, got little siblings dressed, fixed meals and snacks, read stories, and spent a lot of time babysitting. I also helped take care of a bunch of younger cousins. When it came to babies, I knew what I was doing…or so I thought. Nothing can prepare you for that first night home with a two-day-old infant. As helpful and responsible as I was with my little brothers when things got out of hand, I could escalate the problem to Mom or Dad. When we bring a new baby home, we are Mom or Dad. Mid-night feedings, changing, or colicky wailing? The buck stops here! I discovered that I had no idea what parenting would be like.

That new baby turned my life upside down. His care became the focal point of life in the home. For the first six months, I had to figure out how to function at work each day after losing hours of sleep each night. A beloved invader had come into my home and consumed all my free time. On top of all that, I came face-to-face with a new kind of vulnerability: “If anything happens to this child, I would be completely undone…” I had discovered a new kind of love I had known nothing about. Those first months passed in a haze of wonder, worries, joy, and exhaustion. I had been thrown into the pool's deep end without a life preserver but found that I could swim.

If you’re a new parent and feel out of your depth, we’ve assembled these articles below to give you biblical encouragement as you grow into this new reality of parenthood.

Help for Weary New Parents! by Rev. Deb Koster -- When a new baby enters your house, joy, chaos, and sleepless nights tend to follow. We all come to parenthood with anxieties about how to face the task of parenting.

Prayers for New Parents, by Rev. Deb Koster -- I recall being a sleep-deprived mess of emotions after my first days as a new mom. My prayers go out to all the new parents facing similar challenges.

Help for Overwhelmed New Parents, by Keren Kanyago -- The early years of parenting can be hard. If you are parenting infants and toddlers, your work is cut out for you. Here is some encouragement to help you navigate those years.

What I Wish I Knew as a New Parent, by Rob Toornstra -- Knowing what we know now, my wife and I look back and wish we could give ourselves some advice. Here’s what we would say to our rookie-parent selves.

Crying Babies and Taking a Breath, by Nadia Swearingen-Friesen -- There is no need so small, no situation so ordinary that God cannot understand. As we embrace our babies and face long nights, the ability to approach these moments with grace is within our grasp.

Parenting on Fumes and Learning Selfcare, by Jess Ronne -- Have you run on fumes for far too long as a parent? Think about where you might need to instill a few boundaries to get the self-care you need.

Serving in Ministry as a New Mom, by Kim Sullivan -- Raising a family is a very holy season in one’s life, and making changes in your outward ministry will often be necessary and healthy.