Praise for The Joy of Being Mom

Using her signature style of wit, wisdom, and candor, Judy gets to the heart of motherhood and uncovers practical and spiritual truths that will change your life forever. You will see yourself in many of her stories that highlight the ups and downs of being a mom. Only someone who has diligently sought and applied wisdom from God could write a book like this. The Joy of Being Mom will be a treasured gift for moms everywhere.

Thomas and Mary Beth Miller
Executive Strategy Pastor & Kids Pastor, Gateway Church

Judy Brisky is such a relatable mother and a fantastic writer. In this book she opens her heart and shares both the trying challenges and the soul-stirring highlights of motherhood. We believe moms from all walks of life will be blessed and encouraged, and we highly recommend The Joy of Being Mom.

Jimmy and Karen Evans
Elder, Gateway Church Co-founders of MarriageToday

Judy is a woman of great humility, integrity, and wisdom. She is a wonderful example of a mom who seeks the Lord in every part of her life. The Joy of Being Mom is full of godly insight and time-tested advice, and we are honored to give it our highest recommendation.

Mark and Jodie Harris
Worship Pastor, Gateway Church

This book is a refreshing and honest look at motherhood. Judy tells her own story with such transparency and encouragement. The Study Guide questions and activities provide an excellent opportunity to reflect on and personalize the truths in each chapter. This is a book that will impact any mother in a profound way.

Cassie Reid, PhD, LPC-Supervisor
Director of Marriage and Family Therapy, The King’s University
Owner/Lead Therapist, Cassie Reid Counseling

We have known and loved Judy and her husband, Mike, for almost 20 years. We have watched them parent their sons according to biblical principles and train them in the way they should go. We also had the honor of walking closely with them during the short but precious life of their daughter, Dani. Judy does more than teach principles of godly parenting—she lives them! We highly recommend this book to every woman who wants a mentor to walk with on the journey of motherhood.

Steve and Melody Dulin
Founding Elder and Apostolic Pastor, Gateway Church

Dedication

First and foremost, this book is dedicated to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. When You opened my eyes to Your truth, You also opened my heart to being a mom. I am eternally grateful for both. You hold my heart, my life, and my family. I love You, Jesus.

Second, this book is dedicated to my husband, Michael. I am so thankful that the Lord brought you into my life and that we came to salvation through Jesus. Together, we’ve come to know the love of God in greater measure as we seek to live in the power of the Holy Spirit every day. Michael, you have always believed in me, and your encouragement is such a gift to my heart. The best is yet to come, my love. Thirty years and counting! I love you.

Third, this book is dedicated to our children:

  • Jacob and his wife, Neeli, and their baby in heaven, Poppy

  • Joel and his wife, Danielle (Danny)

And our children in heaven:

  • Our first baby

  • Our son, Jared

  • Our daughter, Michaela Danielle (Dani)

You are the reasons I have the blessing of being Mom! I’ve had my shortcomings along the way, but you have graciously loved me through them. It is because of you that I have grown to have a deeper understanding of God’s love for me. I am forever grateful, and I love you, Jesus!

Foreword

While we often say the best part of having kids is having grandkids, the truth is family is, and always has been, very important to us. When we started having children more than three decades ago, we were young, naïve, and not fully prepared, yet we recognized that God entrusted to us as parents the responsibility of instructing and stewarding our children in His ways. We raised each of them with the Bible as our guide, instilling solid Christian values. By the grace of God, today all three of our amazing children and their wonderful spouses are serving the Lord together in ministry.

Even so, parenting wasn’t always easy. If we’d only had a book like this to help us navigate and better understand how to parent God’s way. That’s why we were so excited when we found out our dear friend, Judy, was writing this book. We knew it would be full of wisdom and truth about motherhood.

Judy and her husband, Mike, have been close friends of ours for more than 20 years. Before we ever met, a mutual friend told me (Robert) about a young Christian man who was playing on the PGA tour. As he was sharing, God put a burden on my heart to pray for him and his family. I started keeping up with him and watching him on TV, and a year later the opportunity arose for us to meet. We made an instant connection, and a lasting friendship began. It was during our first meeting that the Lord gave me a word for both him and Judy. It was exactly what they had been praying about as a couple and served as a confirmation from the Lord.

Over the years, we’ve grown closer as friends. We’ve walked with them through good times—watching their boys grow up and go on to get married to wonderful Christian women—as well as hard times, including the deaths of their son and newborn daughter. We’ve also watched Judy become one of the best mothers we’ve ever seen!

Judy prayerfully seeks God first in everything she does and has lived out the principles found in this book. She’s mentored hundreds of young mothers over the years and taught the principles found in this book in small groups. When we think of Judy, the verses in Proverbs 31:26–29 come to mind:

She opens her mouth with wisdom,

And on her tongue is the law of kindness.

She watches over the ways of her household,

And does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children rise up and call her blessed;

Her husband also, and he praises her:

“Many daughters have done well,

But you excel them all” (NKJV).

We know if you ever met Judy, you’d feel the same way.

We love how Judy writes to moms of all ages and stages of life. She shows how to have joy in all situations by giving an honest, front-row seat to her own personal journey as a mom—with all the victories and struggles. Rooted in God’s Word, this book will inspire and encourage you to find the joy in being a mom as you embrace the adventure. It will help you overcome any shortcomings you may have and is sure to be a blessing to you.

Robert and Debbie Morris

Senior Pastor of Gateway Church

Bestselling Author of The Blessed Life, Beyond Blessed, and Take the Day Off

Acknowledgments

Thank you, Pastor Robert and Debbie Morris, for your godly example of humility and obedience to God’s Word. Mike and I have been blessed by your ministry for more than 20 years, and our lives have been forever impacted by your friendship and encouragement. Thank you for your leadership in the body of Christ.

Thank you, Gateway Publishing, for walking with me on this amazing journey. Your team is incredibly talented, and your passion for the Kingdom of God is evident in all you do.

  • To Craig Dunnagan and John Andersen: Thank you for your encouragement and for the opportunity to make this dream of mine a reality.

  • To Jenny Morgan: Thank you for hearing my heart and knowing my voice as you thoughtfully and meticulously edited my manuscript.

  • To Kathy Krenzien: Thank you for always being available to answer questions and for making the writing process easy and enjoyable.

  • To Peyton Sepeda and Jeremy Willis: Thank you for carrying my book across the finish line and getting it into the hands of moms who need to know the love of Jesus.

A special thank you to Danielle Brisky, my daughter-in-love. Danny, your artistic talent is a beautiful and fun addition to the book! Each coloring page that you drew serves as a reminder of God’s beauty and creativity. I’m thankful for you and your gifting!

Introduction

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love.

—1 Corinthians 16:13–14

Dear Lord,

I’m falling apart. The boys were having a hard time sleeping last night, and I thought I was going to go crazy. Really! I lose my temper all the time with the slightest thing. I’m always yelling, always raising my voice. I don’t want to be like that. I don’t want my kids to remember their mother as someone who was always angry, always yelling. I don’t know what to do. Potty training? Ha! Jacob couldn’t care less, and I don’t have the umph! to get things going. What a mess I’ve made of my family. I’m so overwhelmed with so much to do at home. When am I supposed to clean with two little ones at my feet? Please help me. I feel so out of control. I want the house to look nice and clean. I want to feel better organized about my family. I want to be more loving. Please, please help me.

(A tough day in 1997)

What exhausted, frazzled mom wrote this journal entry? I have to confess—it was me. Your next thought may be, How could the same woman possibly write a book about motherhood and joy? Well, first let me assure you that I did eventually potty train Jacob, as well as his brother, Joel. And there were even bigger changes:

  • I learned to stop yelling.

  • I discovered the importance of teaching and training.

  • I stopped feeling overwhelmed all the time.

  • I learned to trust the Lord and not worry about every little thing.

Keeping the house organized and clean became something I absolutely love. Yes, really. (Except for toilets—those are still not my favorite). My home looks nice and tidy more often than not.

And if you ask my family, they will tell you that my prayer to become more loving was answered too. I am incredibly blessed and grateful to be married to my husband, Michael (Mike). We are 30 years strong! Our sons, Jacob and Joel, are now grown and married, and I love the close relationships I have with them and my daughters-in-love, Neeli and Danny. I also have such a great relationship with my dad, and he lives with Michael and me.

How did I turn things around? How did I go from being a loud and crazy mom to a not-so-loud but way more fun mom? The answer is simple—I prayed and asked God to help me. I read His Word. And once I started doing those things, I didn’t stop. I made God the center of my life, my marriage, and my parenting.

I didn’t write this book with the notion that I am an “expert” mom. I’ll be the first to admit I haven’t done everything right. God has done amazing things in my life despite my shortcomings, and I believe He can and will do the same for you if you allow Him into your world. He brings healing, love, and restoration to every person who seeks Him and follows His ways.

This book is meant to serve as a launching pad as you seek God’s heart. Some of the ideas and activities that worked well for my family may be a great match for you, and other things may need some adjustment or fine-tuning. The important thing is that you seek the Lord through prayer and His Word for what He wants for you and your family.

Each chapter includes a coloring page with an encouraging Scripture. At the end of each chapter is a study guide with Scriptures, questions (which are great for personal reflection or group study), and activities called “Heart Connectors” to help you grow in your relationship with God and your family.

As you read, I encourage you to keep a journal nearby to write your thoughts, prayers, and anything else the Lord puts on your heart. You see, once you start reading the Bible and making prayer a part of your day, you’ll begin to understand God’s heart for you in every area of your life.

When I talk about different parenting topics, you’ll find that I use the word “children” in regard to anything that covers the family. There are certain topics where I will give some estimated ages; however, these are not hard or fast rules. Some children mature earlier, while others mature later. Any given age distinctions may or may not fit your children’s developmental stages when you read this book. I encourage you to be prayerful as only you (and your spouse, if married) can determine what works best for your family.

I pray this book will encourage you as a woman, a wife, a mom, and a daughter of the King. The Lord loves you so much, and He has wonderful plans for you on this journey called motherhood.

Father God, You are so good. Your love for us is beyond measure. Please open our hearts to receive anything You want to give us. Thank You for our sweet families. May our love for each other reflect Your love for us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Illustration