Laura Story: An ‘Indescribable’ Life

Imagine a 19-year-old college student looking out the window while driving through Asheville, N.C. She goes home and writes a song about how she felt. Years later the song is on the radio, sung at her college and heard around the world.

If that sounds odd, imagine how Laura Story felt. She wrote “Indescribable” and was more surprised than anyone that the demo she sent to Nashville, Tenn., ended up in the hands of Chris Tomlin, who eventually recorded it. “All of a sudden we started hearing the song everywhere,” says Story, 33. “It wasn’t anything I was looking for ... that’s the story of my life.”

Story lacked so much confidence in her musical ability—namely, her singing—that she’s still surprised to be leading worship at her Atlanta church and at events around the country: “I grew up listening to people who could do all these vocal acrobatics and I knew I couldn’t do that. I have a decent voice, and I sing in tune most of the time. But when I realized this was something maybe God wanted me to do, I wasn’t going to shy away from it.” read more

Moms could give themselves the best gift of all this Mother’s Day - regret free parenting. Author and psychotherapist Catherine Hickem suggests mothers take the day to reflect on who they are and where they want to go with their mothering for the next year while trusting in God.

“It should be a holiday of self-reflection, prayer, and purpose and less a ‘You survived another year so let me give you a gift!’”

Being intentional about yourself and your role as mom is at the core of what she calls “intentional mothering” because the stronger you are as a person, the stronger you are as a mother. Knowing who you are is the key to raising good kids and the only way to make sure your own fears, expectations and ego don’t get in the way.

Even more important, according to Hickem, is that moms need to be intentional about being God-dependent. “When moms lean on God for parenting wisdom, hope, insight, and strength, the weight of motherhood responsibility isn’t as heavy because they see that God carries the load for them.”

Hickem adds that moms need to prayerfully self-assess and develop clear goals to work on in the coming year by asking themselves some significant questions.

• Is there a child I need to get to know better this year?
• Do I have a healthy relationship with each of my children?
• Have I acknowledged who they are and what I have learned from them this last year?
• Do I need to say “I’m sorry” for anything in our relationship?

Hickem even suggests moms write a blessing to each child.  This message can convey reflection, gratitude, and insight. It can reveal lessons learned from her children.

If the process seems more daunting than Mother’s Day breakfast in bed, take baby steps if needed, but Hickem says self-knowledge and fully depending on and trusting in God for direction are essential for the gift that keeps on giving — regret free parenting.

By reframing Mother’s Day, moms will also be setting a great example for their children to embrace and practice with their own children.

Catherine Hickem, LCSW, is the author of the book Regret Free Parenting: Raise Good Kids and Know You're Doing It Right and is a licensed psychotherapist with three decades of experience. read more