God's Providence During Teething

In a difficult season of motherhood, AnneMarie Miller found tiny, comforting reminders of God's loving providence.

I sank onto the couch one night and sighed as my teething baby nursed for what seemed like the twelfth time that day. Although I had been through the teething process with four other children and knew what to expect, I still felt exhausted. Between the frequent nursing sessions, the unpredictable (and infrequent) naps, and the screams that filled the house when I put the baby down to cook dinner, I was thoroughly drained of mental and physical energy. Nursing a baby all day is one matter when the baby is two weeks old; things are quite different when the baby is nearly ten months old and does gymnastics while eating.   

As my baby settled into my arms that night, I decided to savor this moment of silence in spite of my fatigue. In this moment of quiet, a familiar verse from Scripture danced into my heart: “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack” (Psalm 23:1).  

I have spent many hours pondering this verse with children in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium. I have guided children to reflect on the ways that the Good Shepherd cares for his sheep, providing them with food, shelter, water, and protection. He loves his sheep and there is nothing they lack; the Good Shepherd gives them everything they need.  

I Have Everything I Need  

This truth is hard to remember when I observe all of the ways that I am stretched during the teething period. It seems like I lack many comforts: uninterrupted sleep, mental clarity, quiet, and time to sit down by myself without the baby screaming — let alone time to write or read more than a page or two of a book at a time.   

Although I lack these different things, I’ve come to realize that God still gives me everything I need. He gives me the energy and perseverance to care for my baby and other children. He gives me small, scattered moments in which I can collect my thoughts. He gives me a wonderful husband and children who fill our home with joy. Occasionally, God even gives us green lights and sparse traffic on the drive to daily Mass so that we arrive before Mass begins!   

God’s Providence … in the Present Moment  

I’ve come to realize that God always provides the grace and strength we need to tackle the challenges in motherhood as we encounter them. He provides everything I need to make it through the newborn phase and teething phase and toddler phase as I face those different periods. Just like the manna in the desert (see Exodus 16:18-21), God provides exactly what I need each day.

I don’t need to sit and worry about how I will make it through the challenges next week, next month, or in ten years; I can rest and know that God will provide today, and next week, and in the months and years that will come. This gift helps me focus on living in the present moment, which is exactly where God wants me to live.  

How is God providing for you in this moment?  

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Copyright 2025 AnneMarie Miller
Images: Canva