Faith Impacts Mothering:
Faith gives me perspective on my imperfection as a mom. God didn’t design me to be everything for my kids, and, when I try to be, I’m really doing them a disservice. If I was perfect, then my kids would never need God. My own inadequacies can show them they have someone better than me to go to. I just have to do the best I can do and trust God with the rest of it, knowing I’m going to make mistakes.

Mothering Impacts Faith:
Being a mom really challenges my faith. I’ve never wanted to control anything more than I’ve wanted to control my kids because I want them to have a great life. I’ve got to let go of that control and in doing so say, “OK, Lord, this is the thing that means the most to you, and I’m going to let you have it.” I can let him have almost anything else, but putting my kids in his hands has taught me a lot.

Dr. Juli Slattery co-hosts "Your Family Live", a radio and web broadcast produced by Focus on the Family, where Juli serves as family psychologist. Dr. Juli and her husband, Mike, have three sons Michael (13) Andrew (11) and Christian (7).