What is a Mother?

A woman who cares tenderly for her children and raises them to be kind, loving, smart, strong and brave to face the challenges of each day. Mothers are strong, courageous and selfless. They are virtuous and capable disciplinarians who selflessly and without complaint make sacrifices for the wants and needs of their children. Mothers have joy and rejoice in their blessings from God. They are of the spirit producing the good fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness and self-control.

Today marks one year that my mother left her earthly body to dwell in the presence of the Lord - pain free and filled with nothing but joy and gladness.

I want to tell you a little bit about my mother - a side to her that most did not see or know. She loved being a wife and a mother. I don't actually remember God being in the midst of our conversations and discussions early on in life but He was most definitely there. His unwavering providence is evidence of that. She did well to respect and honor my daddy and train us kids in the best way she could.

My parents raised us to be hard-working, kind, strong and brave children. They both worked back breaking jobs and long hours to provide a comfortable life for our family. I remember getting up before the sun to get to daycare and many times going to bed before daddy came in from the field.

When my father passed away in March of 2002 (it's hard to believe it has been 19 years), my mother lost a piece of her that she would never fully regain. She put on a strong exterior and seemed to be content for us children. What did we know? We were so young. She did love us with all her heart and soul. She remained alone, without another true companion, until she left this world and was reunited with daddy. There wasn't a day that went by that she didn't think of her husband and tell me how much she missed him. She was incomplete. I cannot even imagine what she was going through or how she felt and it showed. I hold a lot of regret about our relationship over the years. I've prayed for forgiveness for the pain, I myself, put on her. I didn't see the pain and hurt she had been enduring all of those years.

God knows every hair on our heads and our earthly days are numbered. I praise him for mending our broken relationship when he did. She was still struggling but had a new something special to look forward to with the arrival of her second grandbaby girl.

Our relationship was healing and so was her relationship with God. We spoke of her need for Jesus Christ and prayer for healing but I didn't know until after she passed away that her relationship with God was more than what I imagined. She wrote down her prayers asking for guidance, healing and forgiveness. Though they are a reminder of her pain, they also show the closeness she had with God in the quiet of her heart.

My hope and prayer is that she is with my father spending eternity in that glorious place, pain free and at peace.

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Heavenly Father,

Be with me as I navigate motherhood and though I will face trials, pain and hurt as my mother did, please help me to lean on you for strength through all things. Help me to disciple, train and equip my children to embrace this fallen world with the armor of God, producing good fruit and never ceasing to share and spread the Gospel. God you are so merciful. I am undeserving of your love and kindness. I am a sinner in need of a redeemer. Lord, thank you for redeeming me and sanctifying me. Thank you for giving me a good year with my mother before she left her earthly body. Thank you for the memories I will cherish forever. Thank you that she loved Mabel so much yet hadn't even met her. I'll always hold on to her whispering to my baby and kissing my belly telling her how much she loved her already. Thank you for a strong and brave mother that faced her trials and struggles head on. She was strong for me. With your strength, I will also be strong for my children and equip them to be soldiers for Christ, just as you have commanded.

In Jesus Name

Amen