Lexi Shipp: Lexi Shipp is a passionate writer, speaker, and Bible teacher. With a Bachelors in Religion and Masters in Human Services Counseling, both specified in Christian Ministry, Lexi is currently serving alongside her husband as Girls Student Ministry Director at London Bridge Baptist Church in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Working with middle and high school girls for years, she has a heart for connecting all generations of women and championing the next generation for the cause of Christ – starting within her own home as a mom. Lexi serves as a regular LifeWay Girls blogger, the Blog Team Lead for the SBC of Virginia’s Women’s Ministry Blog, and as a part of the SBCV Ministry Wives and Women’s Ministry Strategy teams. To read more of Lexi’s writings or to book her as a speaker, connect with her on Instagram @alexisleeshipp.
Bailey Newbern is a Ministry Assistant in Student Ministry at Liberty Live Church in Hampton Roads, VA. She is passionate about discipleship and leading up the next generation of girls, especially girls in middle and high school. She also specifically loves helping young girls and women navigate through depression, anxiety, and other mental health needs through scripture and prayer.
As we wrap up with our final blog of 2024, we have a collaborative effort from a couple of young moms on our team sharing what God has shown them and things they’re keeping close to their heart heading into 2025. We hope and pray it is a blessing to you, and that you sense the Lord’s presence with you as we enter into a new year together.
Thoughts from the mom of a newborn…
You simply cannot rush a newborn baby. The Lord has had to show my people pleasing, calendar-filling heart this time and time again over these past few months, especially during the Christmas season. I don’t need the bucket list of Christmas activities checked off in order to have a joy-filled Christmas season. The celebration of the birth of our Savior far outweighs the Christmastime activities and traditions. I don’t need to make this season special. Jesus has already done that. I’m praying that we will enter 2025 with less unrealistic expectations of ourselves and more peace and contentment that the Lord will be our source of joy and fulfillment.
Thoughts from a mom of littles…
Grace. There are so many words that could speak to this season of motherhood with having a toddler and a baby…fun, exciting, busy, special, priceless…but if I could only pick one right now – it would be grace. Grace for myself, but also how I model it for my son. Realizing that being a mom doesn’t make you exempt from embracing our sin nature, and it’s less about moments of weakness and more about how we handle them afterward. When I go to my toddler, hold his little hands, look him in the eye, and apologize, I do believe that speaks more to the power of the gospel at work than me pretending to be someone I’m not. Someone put together instead of in progress, someone perfect instead of held together by Christ. This requires me to have so much grace on myself, realizing that having a bad moment or a bad day doesn’t make me a bad mom. Hard days of motherhood create opportunities for the gospel to be displayed to our children. My need for help throughout motherhood causes me to press into the source of grace, my perfect Heavenly Father. May we go into this New Year seeking His guidance and resting in His grace as we shepherd the little ones He’s entrusted to us.
