‘Fill Your Mind With Aggressive Thanksgiving’: Sarah Drew Shares Advice for Parenting
By Movieguide® Contributor
Though actress Sarah Drew was familiar with the anxiety that comes along with a career, she was struck by a different kind of fear when she found out she was pregnant.
“At last I’d landed a regular recurring role on one of America’s most popular TV series, GREY’S ANATOMY, and my husband, Peter, and I, after 10 years of marriage, were expecting our first child. I should have been on top of the world,” Drew wrote in an essay for Guideposts.
“I wasn’t. My marriage was solid, I loved my job, but I was terrified, absolutely terrified, by the prospect of parenthood,” she continued. “What if I turned out to be an awful mom? It would be hard – if not impossible – to live up to the example set by my own parents.”
Drew’s father is a Presbyterian minister, “and when I really need help, when I’m struggling, I turn to him,” she shared. “I have since childhood.”
He helped her through things like middle school bullies and stage fright before a big show, always praying with her and encouraging her to look to God for guidance.
Drew’s father was also there when she panicked about being a good mother. She sent him an email asking if he knew any Scripture passages that could help her through this period of uncertainty.
When she woke up the next morning, his email was in her inbox, full of advice:
“Try to identify clearly what you are fearful of. This is important because there is very little you can do with a generalized fearful frame of mind. But once you identify more precisely what you fear, you will be able to find texts that speak directly to the fear.
While it is good from time to time to imagine the loss of things that are precious to you, it is not good to dwell there. God will give you what you need when you need it, not before. Practice aggressive thanksgiving for what you actually have now.
The losses you fear may never come, so what’s the point in thinking about them? Rather than letting fears about a future you cannot control fill your mind, aggressively fill it with thanksgiving and good things.”
“Like everything Dad has given me, it has proven to be very practical advice grounded in spiritual wisdom, and ‘aggressive thanksgiving’ has guided my prayer life,” the actress said. “Every morning I write in my journal all the good things God has given me.
“These days, our almost-two-year-old son, Micah, is at the top of that list,” Drew continued. “He is a joy, as is parenthood. All those fears that overcame me? Dad was right. They never came to be. For example, I haven’t lost my freedom being a mom. Maybe I get less sleep, but I feel freer to love, more compassionate, more understanding, more grateful. More like my dad.”
Drew went on to star in MOMS’ NIGHT OUT, all about being a mother and the struggles that come along with parenting.
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
