Mothers are the hope of heaven.

We are the heart of Heavenly Father’s plan. He has chosen and set us apart as sacred vessels to serve as the conduit by which His children leave their premortal existence and enter their mortal experience.

Welcoming our babies into the world, completely dependent on our love and care, is a holy sacrifice. As we rest our cheek against their tiny heads and breathe in the sweetness of new life, our hearts expand in unimaginable ways.

Because motherhood is the hope of heaven, there are opposing forces that slither silently and stealthily, waiting to lie, to hurt, and to turn the flowering crown of womanhood into dust. These evils take many faces: shame, loneliness, comparison, detesting our bodies, and an endless list of things we could do. Indeed, the incessant background hissing of the adversary may make Jesus Christ feel distant. Or, worse, cause us to forget that we are participating in God’s work and glory.

But Jesus Christ has already won the battle! He fights for us and with us.

Focusing on the Savior's tender interactions with women in the scriptures against the backdrop of my lived experience, I offer what I have learned of His unfailing love, His compassion, and His confidence in us.