Local author offers advice, encouragement in new book about motherhood

Many moms have heard some version of the well-intentioned encouragement: “you’ve got this, mama.” But for moms who are exhausted, struggling with post-partum depression, or otherwise burnt out, this phrase can seem hollow. Luckily, local author Sarah Hopkins has written a guide for moms, based on her own motherhood journey.

On Tuesday, Hopkins, a former Bookworm employee and mother of two, will talk about her book “You Don’t Got This, Mama,” a biblically inspired encouragement to moms no matter the season of motherhood they are in. There will be a Q&A and book signing following the event and light refreshments will be provided.

Hopkins’ book began as a collection of journal entries inspired by her own experiences raising two children. “It all started when my husband and I were blessed to welcome our daughter and son into our family,” Hopkins reflected. “My journey into motherhood has changed me for the better, but not often by pleasant means. When my children were almost three and almost one, our family was in the thick of it, and our day-to-day life was a beautiful chaos. Part of how I processed this stage of life was by writing about the everyday experiences I had and how I saw gospel connections in so many of them. I began bringing these writings together, and with the help of my incredible publisher, this book came to life.”

Like many mothers Hopkins felt the pressure to be the “supermom” who could do everything and was discouraged when she fell short, until she realized that she wasn’t alone. “It didn’t take many steps into motherhood to realize how weak I really was,” Hopkins said. “I was sleep-deprived almost immediately and was brought to the end of my patience and wisdom very quickly. In these moments of weakness, I had well-meaning friends cheer me on, saying, ‘You’ve got this, mama!’ I tried to embrace this encouragement, but it inevitably fell flat. I knew deep down that I did not have it together. I longed for that supermom trophy, but it always seemed so far out of reach. It wasn’t until I looked beyond the limits of my own strength and towards the unending strength of my Savior that things began to change.”

In all parts of motherhood, the highs and the lows, Hopkins leaned into her faith. “There are beauty and hardship in every season of motherhood,” Hopkins stated. “I have walked through the highs of newborn snuggles, first words, budding imaginations, and the growth of my children’s personalities. I have also walked through the lows of postpartum depression and anxiety, multiple miscarriages, and losing my father five weeks after my son was born. God was present in all of it and is truly the only reason I’m where I am today. His grace was sufficient, his hope was unshakeable, and his peace was incomprehensible.”

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Hopkins hopes that other hardworking but struggling moms find her book and are encouraged by its message. “This book is for the mama who is overwhelmed and overstimulated,” Hopkins said. “It’s for the mom who had high expectations for how this whole mom thing would be, only to have those expectations shattered quickly and often. It’s for the mom looking for hope, longing to be seen, and wondering what the point of all of this is. The main takeaway I hope readers get is really in the title — you don’t got this, mama. It’s a new kind of encouragement that doesn’t really sound like an encouragement at all, but I hope it is an invitation for weary moms to lay down their burdens at the feet of the One who is strong enough to handle them.”