Have you ever been praised for “doing it all,” but secretly felt like you were barely holding it together?
Have you chased dreams, managed dinner, wiped tears, changed diapers, answered emails, and still laid in bed wondering if it was enough?
Our culture loves the Wonder Woman Mom and celebrates hustle and grind—but is that really biblical?
My Wonder Woman Origin Story
Growing up, my favorite Marvel character was Wonder Woman. I watched Lynda Carter as the fierce Amazonian princess in black and white, mesmerized by her strength, justice, and beauty. As a child from a chaotic home, I admired her for knowing what she stood for and leading with both compassion and power.
Looking back now, I realize those are the same qualities I value as a leader, a wife, and a mom.
But after I became a mom, the image of Wonder Woman began to mean something else because of how society also views her.
During one particularly hard season, I was solo-parenting while my husband was deployed. I was working 12-hour days, commuting two hours round-trip, and sacrificing sleep for the gym in an effort to get back my pre-baby body. Every week I longed for the weekend to catch my breath, meal prep, squeeze in snuggles, and maybe go to church.
One evening, I was rushing to pick up the kids and drop them at after-care before a work event, I probably looked completely frazzled. Yet, a coworker smiled and said, “Wow, you’re Wonder Woman Mom! I don’t know how you do it all.” She knew my husband was deployed and I believe she meant it as a compliment.
I smiled back, but inside I thought, I don’t want to be Wonder Woman Mom. I just want to be mom.
Wonder Woman Mom
A “Wonder Woman Mom” is someone who appears to juggle it all—family, home, career, community—with grace, strength, and zero margin for failure. In today’s world, that image is glorified. Women are expected to work full-time, keep a clean house, prepare home-cooked meals, stay fit, stay sweet, and always show up with a smile.
But underneath the cape, many of us are exhausted.
In writing this post, I came across a quote: “Become your own Wonder Woman. Don’t rely on the energy of the outside world to fuel you… You are your own hero.”
At first glance, it sounds empowering. But as a Christian mom, I believe this misses the mark. Our source of strength doesn’t come from within or from hustle—it comes from the Lord (Philippians 4:13).
Yes, we are called to work diligently—Proverbs 31 praises a woman who “sets about her work vigorously,” and Colossians 3:23 tells us, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”
But scripture also warns us not to place our identity in our achievements. Galatians 1:10 asks, “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God?” And Psalm 127:2 reminds us that “In vain you rise early and stay up late… for He grants sleep to those He loves.”
Our identity is not in our performance. It’s in Christ (Ephesians 2:8–9). That’s good news.
What About Hustle Culture?
Hustle culture glorifies overwork. It says: Sleep less. Work more. Grind harder. And if you do, you’ll earn success, admiration, or at the very least, stability.
But what happens when you never stop hustling?
You burn out.
You forget to rest.
You lose sight of who you are without the hustle.
That’s where I found myself in 2023. Health issues forced me to slow down and reevaluate everything. I love the work I do, and I’ve enjoyed serving and I’m proud of my military service. But at the end of it all, when I separate or retire, I’ll receive a flag and some fond farewells—and life will carry on. The mission always goes on.
And, in the end, if I don’t have my faith, my family, and my health… what do I really have?
Faith-Based Balance
To be clear: hard work is not bad. Ambition isn’t bad. This isn’t a call-out, but a call-in—for the mom who feels like she’s crumbling under the weight of expectations.
God doesn’t call us to be superheroes. He calls us to be faithful, present, and surrendered.
If we chase hustle too long, we risk:
- Burnout
- Misplaced identity
- Pride in self-sufficiency
- Spiritual dryness
- Disconnection from family, faith, and rest
You can work hard and chase dreams. You can be a present mom and a high performer. But ask yourself: Why are you hustling, and who is it glorifying?
Is your ambition surrendered to God? Is your identity rooted in Him?
Closing Thoughts
I want to acknowledge that I still adore Wonder Woman. She is still my favorite superhero from any of the comics. The most recent movies I thought were a great rendering of the Wonder Woman I envisioned as child – a woman truly made in the image of God.
Being called a Wonder Woman Mom isn’t an insult—and I don’t take it as one. In fact, I believe there’s are ties between a woman of faith, wearing the Armor of God and Wonder Woman. What I mean is I don’t want to do it all on my own.
My goal is to follow Jesus.
To work with integrity.
To love my family well.
To rest when needed.
And to walk in step with the Spirit—not the grind.
I believe you can be strong and soft. Brave and broken. Capable and in need of grace. A fierce mom and a surrendered daughter of the King.
If you’re worn out from chasing the world’s idea of Wonder Woman perfection—maybe it’s time to let the cape fall and let Christ carry the weight.