How to Fight for Your Family’s Faith with Victoria Riollano

Mothers fulfill many roles – from chef, chauffeur, teacher, and nurse to counselor, life coach, encourager, and friend. Yet, one of the most important roles a mother will ever play in her children’s lives is that of a warrior.

In today’s world, the heart of our children is at stake. Everywhere we turn, the battle for their precious souls is waging. That’s why it is crucial that we do not neglect or overlook the critical task of fighting for our family’s faith. But how do we show up to fight when we are worn down and weary from the daily demands of motherhood? How can we fight for victory when we are struggling with our own faith?

I’m honored to share wisdom for these questions through an interview with author, blogger, speaker, and mom of seven, Victoria Riollano. Victoria knows all too well how the challenges of everyday motherhood can leave moms feeling defeated, but she has learned to fully rely on Christ’s strength for the journey. In her new book, Warrior Mom: Equipping Your Heart to Fight for Your Family’s Faith, Victoria shares biblical encouragement to equip moms for victorious parenting. Continue reading below to learn the heart behind her book, along with practical strategies to help you fight for your family’s faith. (My interview questions are in bold and Victoria’s responses are in italics. You can read her bio and find ways to connect with her at the end of this post.)

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Briefly describe your motherhood journey and how it inspired you to write a book that empowers moms to be warriors who fight for their family’s faith.

As a mother of seven, my journey as a mother has been an interesting one. Before becoming a mother, I worked in childcare for eight years and was only two classes from a Bachelor’s degree in Child and Adolescent Psychology. I went into motherhood overly confident, thinking I knew it all. Yet, a couple of kids in, motherhood was running my life. My little blessings were hard to manage, and I was in, completely over my head. I spent days depressed and crying, thinking I was a horrible mother, and had a distant relationship with God. Years into being a mom, I started to renew my relationship with God. I started to realize the importance of trusting in Him instead of my own ability or head knowledge. Over time, God began to show me that my children belonged to Him and that I could trust Him for their journey. This helped me to become more confident and rely fully on Christ. I now see Him as the ultimate authority in my life and my family’s life, which gives me strength. I wrote this book for other moms who may feel defeated in their parenting so that they may come to know that they are not alone. They can trust God with their parenting. He is invested and loves their children more than they could ever imagine.

As you’ve made your relationship with God the center of your parenting, what has it looked like for you to fight for your own faith while navigating the everyday challenges and demands of motherhood? What has connecting with the Lord looked like for you in various seasons of motherhood?

Being a mom of many with a career and leading a church alongside my husband means that I have to be careful how I utilize my time. In some seasons of my life, that meant waking up early and reading my Word. And other times of my life, my prayer times were while nursing a baby to sleep or driving children to school. Ultimately, my goal is to never let a day go by without thanking God for giving me life, reading His Word, and having a time of worship. Although this looks different every day, the Lord always meets me where I am and encourages my soul.

What are practical ways moms can rely on the Lord’s strength in the overwhelming, messy moments that drain them emotionally, mentally, and physically?

The first way to really rely on God is to have an intentional relationship with Him. This means making your time with God, whether it is through prayer or reading the Word, a priority in your life. Another way I have found is to see God as an integral part of your day. Many times, people will only talk to God or want God’s help when things are going bad. However, how much more powerful would our lives be if we made the choice to always seek Him first? There’s nothing that we are going through that we can’t find comfort within His Word about. Lastly, it is so important for moms to not live life alone. Having others battle in prayer with you and show up in action can make a world of difference. When moms find friends that point them back to Jesus, that are honest, yet graceful, they will find that their parenting journey won’t be an isolating one.

How can moms come alongside their children as they experience spiritual battles and equip them to turn their hearts towards the one true God?

I believe the best way to come alongside your children is to make Jesus the center of your home. In our house when our children are facing daily woes, such as a bully at school or even scraping their knee outside, we bring Jesus into that moment. Conversations about having Christian character, God’s goodness, His ability to heal, and the Bible itself, are a part of our everyday life. The best way to equip our children is for God to not be an afterthought in our homes but our why for everything we do. And the best way to prepare our children for the battles ahead is our own relationship with God and allow them to see it unfold in real life. The way we talk about other people, the way we interact with His church, the way we treat people, and our relationship with God give us an opportunity to model the faith that we hope they will have.

What encouragement would you offer to the mom who feels inadequate, overwhelmed, discouraged, or defeated by the responsibilities of motherhood?

I would encourage you to take it one step at a time. Ask the Lord the area of your life that needs the most refining. Maybe it’s the way you talk to your children, maybe it’s your prayer life, or maybe the issue is a viewpoint of motherhood altogether that you struggle with. Whatever the case may be, make the choice to give yourself grace and know that so many others are facing similar emotions. I want to also let moms know that although I’m a mom of seven, have a master’s degree in psychology, and I’m a licensed minister, I still miss the mark daily. God is not looking for the perfect mom but does call us to be a praying mom. If you are feeling defeated, seek the One who knows your children more than anyone else and who seeks to comfort you.

What scriptures or resources you would recommend to encourage moms through their motherhood journey and help them stay connected to Christ?

My favorite verses on motherhood include:

• “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” -3 John 1:4
• “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.” -2 Timothy 1:5

I would also suggest the following books:

• “The Family Bible Devotional: Stories from the Bible to Help Kids and Parents Engage and Love Scripture” by Sarah Wells
• “Sparkling Gems from the Greek Vol. 1: 365 Greek Word Studies for Every Day of The Year to Sharpen Your Understanding of God’s Word” by Rick Renner
• “The One Year Praying through the Bible for Your Kids” by Nancy Guthrie

CONCLUSION

This concludes my interview with Victoria. I pray it drives you to the feet of Jesus and strengthens your trust in Him. If you would like practical resources to help prioritize and grow your relationship with the Lord so that your heart is equipped as a warrior, I invite you to join our She’s A Seeker Facebook group, where you will receive weekly encouragement, strategies, and tips to help deepen your walk with Jesus. You may also click here to purchase a copy of Victoria’s book, Warrior Mother: Equipping Your Heart to Fight for Your Family’s Faith.

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