Terry’s Take… March Week Three
Why Moms Are Special
Acknowledging the influence of moms isn’t just the stuff of Mother’s Day cards… it also became a major finding and theme in a recent Barna study of practicing Christians’ homes in the U.S. The Households of Faith report, produced in partnership with Lutheran Hour Ministries.
It finds that mothers—more often than fathers, or any other category of frequent participants in households—are seen as the confidants, providers of support and drivers of faith formation. They see their moms as sources of strength, companionship and wisdom.
And… mothers still meet a range of needs and provide support for their adult grown children or, when applicable, their grandchildren.
Here are some practical tips I received from a mom… on her experience…
LOVE your children as Christ loves you – Matthew 22:37-38
Most days – loving your children will feel easy, even when they draw on the walls. But, learning to love them unconditionally, like Christ loves us, is crucial. As parents, we want to instill this sense of confidence and belonging in our home. This can’t be possible without showing our children unconditional love.
But, what does this even look like?
- Giving them space to make mistakes and learn from them.
- Encouraging them in what they love.
- Building them up in moments when they are struggling.
- Just listening to them.
COMFORT your children – Isaiah 66:13
In the early days and years, cuddling their precious little bodies is the easiest way to comfort them. But even if this feels completely natural, holding our little ones close is our purpose. This shows them love.
When they are just babies, physical comfort is important to their development but when they get older a different kind of “comfort” is needed.
This may take different forms for each of our children. I find the Lord comforting my soul through scripture, worship music, and often times the words of family and friends.
Once you figure out how the Lord comforts you, begin to implement that into your parenting. Maybe you sing to your little one or share some encouraging words. Comfort is something that comes naturally to new moms… but may get a little more challenging as your child grows.
NUTURE their interests
My own mom was a great nurturer of my interests… and I had many! I liked to collect things… stamps, coins, rocks, and I loved to build airplane models. I remember my mom would take me to hobby shows and spend countless hours in allowing me to pursue my early interests.
We should want our children to explore what THEY love. It’s easy to sign our kids up for our favorite sport or get them involved in our interests… but we need to remember they are unique.
TEACH them kindness – Proverbs 31:26
There are two ways to teach your child to be kind – through example, and through correction.
You don’t need to sit down and have a lesson on how to be kind: just simply show them. Kids love to observe, so just being kind to those around you is all you need to do.
But, what happens when you get cut off in traffic and you… get all angry about it? Admit you messed up and explain that you will do better next time. This shows that it’s OKAY to make mistakes and helps them to learn how to handle a similar situation.
Kindness is not always easy even for us adults, but it’s what we are called to be when we follow Christ.
The purpose of motherhood and the purpose of a Christian mom are two different things. Motherhood is a journey that will grow YOU and your relationship with God. While your job as a mom is to disciple, care for, nurture, and teach your children.
God has a unique plan for each of us, and while not every woman is chosen to be a mom… every woman can be a loving aunt, foster- or step-mom, teacher, mentor or encourager. God has given women a special insight that only they possess.
Use it as God gives you the opportunity!
Today’s Resource:
Walking with God in the Season of Motherhood: An Eleven-Week Devotional Bible Study by Melissa B. Kruger
This eleven-week Bible study will help you…
- Understand and pursue your purpose as a mother
- Live out your true priorities
- Entrust your child to God
- Bear the fruit of the Spirit in your everyday interactions
- Recover from Perfect Mom Syndrome (PMS)
Each week offers four days of study geared specifically to a mother’s concerns, with the Bible passages already printed out for your convenience. The fifth day is a warm-hearted devotional reading to help you reflect on and apply the truths you’ve learned.
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Image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay