There are many days when I wonder what I did before I was a mom.

Before I had my baby girl in 2004, I found joy in sitting up for hours on end reading for pleasure and coming and going as I pleased. In short, my life was all about me. Now I can’t remember the last time I read a book for enjoyment, and if I do have to head out, I make sure someone is taking care of my baby girl, and honestly, my goal at the end of the day is to make it home safely to her and my hubby.

Before 2004, I never thought I would use the bathroom as a hideout to get just a few minutes of silence or that I would love naps so much.

Before 2004, I never thought I could love someone so much, get so much joy out of the little things, laugh at myself and life.

Before 2004, I don’t know if I was really living. I think for the most part, I was just existing.

Before 2004, I had dreams, but the push to make them come true was some distant thought. One look at my baby girl, and I realized I couldn’t tell her to make her dreams come true if I never pursued mine. So, I set out on a journey to be a living example to her that dreams can come true.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from motherhood is that I’m more than just a mom. I’m an encourager, a motivator, a protector, a safe haven… The list goes on and on.

Maybe you’re in a season where you feel like all you are is “just a mom.” Maybe the clothes are piled up and you’re exhausted from playing taxi driver or from answering the same question ten dozen times. Maybe you have started to wonder if the dreams hidden in your heart before you had kids will ever come true. I want to encourage you to keep pushing forward. You are not just a mom. To the children with which God has blessed you, you are the world—you are everything—and you’ve got this.