Have you ever seen a boulder opal? They are found only in Australia, and form in the cracks, hollows and fissures of ironstone. The brownish, dark color of the ironstone contrasts the full opalescence blues and greens of the iridescent opals. They are so beautiful and each is unique. 
These opals can only be found by breaking the ironstone boulder open, and searching its broken pieces for the gem. The beauty of this semi-precious stone is only seen because its outer shell is broken open.
What Breaks Us?
How many times have you felt broken open by motherhood? Perhaps it was the grief of losing a baby to miscarriage or stillbirth. Maybe it was by a challenging physical, mental or emotional diagnosis for your child. Perhaps it is operating as a single mom when you never planned on doing this job alone. Maybe it’s the day to day exhaustion of raising several kiddos who are close in age.
Motherhood can be a hard path to walk sometimes.
When I was ten weeks pregnant with my son, my then-husband told me he wanted a divorce. It broke me as a woman, but the pregnancy, birth and caring for my son is the beauty I found in it. Previously, I had enduring a miscarriage of a very desired baby. It broke my heart, but in time gave me the gift of compassion for others in a deeper way.
Now, with time and healing, I never wish those trials away.
Don’t Give Up
Take heart, dear mamas. Every time you’re broken and your pains and heartaches are revealed, it’s beauty that is being made. It shows us what we’re made of. You never know the unique colors and patterns that your hardships will create in you, but be assured that beauty will come from it. I’m thankful for my own hardships so that my unique, dazzling beauty may be seen.
I hope that you grow into your beautiful brokenness, too.
