“Who can measure the long-term effects of nurturing helpless infants, supervising wandering toddlers, discipling self-willed children, and counseling self-absorbed adolescents? Of family outings planned, traditions built, memories made, books read, songs sung, Scripture taught? That’s why motherhood belongs under the heading, ‘Engage the World’; no one shapes generations or fashions cultures more than mothers.“
~ Jeff Purswell, Worldliness, (edited by C.J. Mahaney, p. 159). (HT: GirlTalk)
Dear Mother, your work to love and nurture your children is a beautiful task. It is your worship. To raise up children that love and serve Jesus is a glorious mission. To faithfully discipline, train, guide, and nurture them is the work of the Kingdom. Jesus welcomed the little children, and so by welcoming them, getting down and dirty with them, washing off their bumps and bruises, and seeking to be present for them, and loving them as Jesus did, is the most beautiful thing you can do.
“How can it be a large career to tell other people’s children about the rule of three, and a small career to tell one’s own children about the universe? How can it be broad to be the same thing to everyone, and narrow to be everything to someone? No. A woman’s function is laborious, but because it is gigantic, not because it is minute. I will pity Mrs. Jones for the hugeness of her task; I will never pity her for its smallness.”
- G.K Chesterton
It is hard. You won’t have much free time. In fact, you may seem to have none at all. But each moment that is invested with joy and grace will bring such glory and honor to your Maker. Every little moment invested reading a story, wiping a nose, changing a diaper, teaching a child a chore or task, making messes together, is Kingdom building work. Don’t neglect filling up your own cup in the presence of your Lord so that you can freely pour out for them. He designed you for such a purpose…and together, we can change the world.
Be blessed! And may the joy of the Lord be your strength!
“A mother…by her planning and industry night and day, by her willfulness of love, by her fidelity, she brings up her children. Do not read to me the campaigns of Caesar and tell me nothing about Napoleon’s wonderful exploits. For I tell you that, as God and the angels look down upon the silent history of that woman’s administration, and upon those men-building processes which went on in her heart and mind through a score of years;—nothing exterior, no outward development of kingdoms, no empire-building, can compare with what mother has done. Nothing can compare in beauty, and wonder, and admirableness, and divinity itself, to the silent work in obscure dwellings of faithful women bringing their children to honor and virtue and piety.” Henry Ward Beecher - Gene Fedele, ed. Golden Thoughts of Mother, Home & Heaven
, pp.75-76.
Happy Mother’s Day!
“The world may not applaud us for wiping running noses, driving in carpools, or talking with our teenager into the wee hours of the morning. And until they are trained, our children might not thank us either. But as we set aside our own selfish desires and glorify God by joyfully serving our children, we are pursuing true greatness according to the Bible. Let us do so with tenderness, affection, and with a smile!”
– Carolyn Mahaney
Thought you might like to check out two books that recently came out…”Beyond Bath Time” by Erin Davis and “Together: Growing appetites for God” by Carrie Ward. Blessings to you!
I love that last quote! What a lovely post for Mother’s Day.
Too bad mothering for the glory of God has fallen out of “fashion”….
Thank you for the encouragement! I have been struggling with having very little free time right now (and so many things I want to accomplish!) and this was a wonderful reminder of the mission God has called me to in raising my precious little ones and the impact it will have in the long run – even if right now it seems mundane and extremely difficult.
Thank you for the encouragement. Beautifully written.
AMEN – beautifully put, there is no greater joy than raising arrows for His glory, be blessed and refreshed in your mothering!
Very timely encouragement. Thank you so much:)
Thank you for writing such a beautiful post! My husband and I are expecting our first child, and this post really spoke to me. Your blog has been a blessing to read and I have enjoyed gleaning lots of advice from you!
What wonderful words of encouragement! I needed to hear that today. As the mom of two VERY active boys, sometimes in my exhaustion and frustration I think, “Is it all worth it? All of the cleaning, bathing, telling, listening, playing, crying, loving, bandaging, kissing, wiping, waiting … is it worth it?” Thanks for the reminder that yes, it is COMPLETELY worth it. It may be years before I see my nurturing pay off, but it will … in two little boys who became strong Godly men. Happy Mother’s Day to you!
Beautiful post and thank you for the encouragement!
Thank you Lindsay! What a God-send… I just birthed my first baby 2 days ago. I did a natural home birth, greatly inspired by your example! Your story was the first I ever heard of it… so my husband and I looked into it and realized it was perfect for us too. Thank you!!! But back to this post, I’m holding my baby girl as she sleeps and I can’t stop thinking about how hard and how painful it was. I would do it all over again to have her, but man… it was waaaaay more pain and intensity than I could have ever imagined. My husband and I want as many kids as God has planned for us; we are Catholic and don’t use birth control and never will. Today I’ve just been trying to fathom how I could ever endure labor again. As I clicked onto your site… this was exactly what I needed to read. What encouragement and inspiration! Like 1 Tim 2. It is difficult, it is hard, there is great suffering involved but that is the Christian calling. We are doing great work for the kingdom and the value of motherhood truly cannot be measured. I am just very uplifted and encouraged by your words (as always). Thank you!!!
Jessica, I am about to have my 3rd baby naturally–in a hospital, but with no intervention. I remember feeling the same way you are now after my first baby’s birth. I think I could feel the pain after the delivery every time I closed my eyes and I could never imagine going though it again. Well, I did. 2 years later I had another baby naturally. It was just as painful, but the recovery was a lot faster and easier. When he was born, I thought “I could do it again”. I am not looking forward to the pain this time around either (and I had short labors and good deliveries both times), but I know I can do it. I am also going to try to relax a little more this time around. So be encouraged. I don’t think you can ever forget the labor pain but you can do it again and again. Lindsay–thank you for a wonderful blog. It was recommended by a friend and I an loving it. Happy Mother’s Day to you, ladies!
Iryna
Iryna, Thank you for taking the time to write me with that encouragement! It really means a lot and its comforting to know I’m not alone. I definitely want a lot of kids so while I can’t imagine it now, I guess ill have to rely and trust in God’s grace for the present moment. May God bless you! Ill keep u in my prayers for your next delivery.
Wow! Thanks for sharing these amazing, inspiring quotes.
That was beautifully written. Thank you for such great wisdom and encouragement! The day in day out of motherhood can seem tedious, but the bigger picture is that we are training our children to love and serve our gracious Lord. What a huge and beautiful task we have set before us! Praise God for His mercy, love, and blessings we have in our families and children!