Tending My Oil
— On Motherhood, Hard Days, and Holding the Light
There’s a quiet kind of joy I’ve found in this new season of my life.
It’s not loud or perfect. But it’s real. It’s in the early mornings when the world is still and I’m holding my baby close. It’s in the small routines, the soft giggles, and even the tired eyes in the mirror. Life feels fuller, slower, heavier, and more beautiful all at once.
Becoming a mother has shifted everything — including the way I hold my faith.
Tending my oil doesn’t look like it used to.
It’s not quiet scripture study or hours to reflect. Now, it’s more like reading one verse while taking care of a busy baby. It’s whispering a prayer while folding laundry. It’s remembering to breathe when I’m overwhelmed and asking God for strength in the middle of it all. These moments have made me think of how much I love my Savior, Jesus Christ who is my perfect example and my Heavenly Father.
And even though life is sometimes messy and imperfect, I’ve learned that those small moments count. They are the tending to my spiritual oil that I need in order to be ready for the bridegroom. The small, ordinary efforts to stay close to the Lord — even when life feels like a blur — are what keep the flame going.
There are hard days, of course.
Days when I miss the freedom I used to have. Days when I feel like I’m failing at everything. Days when I wonder if my small efforts matter. Days when I realize my expectations sometimes don’t match reality.
But still — I keep tending.
Because I know that spiritual strength doesn’t come all at once. It builds slowly. Quietly. Over time.
“Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ.”
— Helaman 3:35
“In the parable, oil can be purchased at the market. But in our lives, the oil of spiritual preparedness is not for sale. It must be gathered drop by drop — through daily prayer, scripture study, obedience, and repentance. We cannot borrow it from someone else.”
— Adapted from President Spencer W. Kimball, “Faith Precedes the Miracle,” 1972
This verse and quote remind me why the tending matters.
Because faith isn’t about big moments. It’s about the daily ones — the ones no one sees but the Lord. It’s about keeping your lamp trimmed, even when it’s hard. It’s about believing that small things, done faithfully, make a difference.
So if you’re in a season that feels full and hard and sacred all at once, I hope you know you’re not alone. The Lord sees the effort. He honors the tending. And there’s strength in continuing — even when it’s small.
You don’t always have to be glowing.
You just have to keep your lamp lit.
— Maddy