Christian Counseling & Educational Services

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

Proverbs 22:6
Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. *(NIV)

As we celebrate Mother’s Day here in the United States, we pause to remember, honor and thank God for mothers. They have an awesome job! A mother comforts, guides, instructs, encourages and comes along side to help. She’s a chauffeur, a cook, a coach, a disciplinarian, and a whole lot more. Being a mom requires wearing many different hats, but most women are good at that.

One of a mother’s most important jobs is that of teaching, and she does that in many different ways. First of all she teaches with her words. A mother instructs and gives directions on everything from how to play games, to how to do laundry and clean the bathroom, to where to catch the bus, or what to look for in a life mate. While she may often wonder if her children hear anything she says, a mom’s words are definitely important.

She also teaches her children indirectly by putting them in the care of other responsible adults in schools, in clubs and activities, and in church. This should be done prayerfully, being careful to choose, as much as is possible, folks who will guide them in the same way she would.

But a mother teaches most powerfully by her example. Recently a mother smiled as she said to me, “My little three-year old daughter is by my side every minute and she does everything I do!” Later in our conversation she asked me, “How can I get my daughter to be kind and loving, and treat people with respect?” I replied, “You already know the answer to that. You just told me she does everything you do-so do it yourself and she will follow.” A child learns most from what he or she sees modeled by the parents in day to day living.

Yes, mothers teach every day, even if it’s as one lady told me, “My mother taught me what NOT to do! I never wanted to be like her.” That’s sad, but it shows the powerful impact a mother has as she attempts to guide her children toward adulthood and the ability to make wise choices. It’s an awesome task, alright, but with God’s help she can do it!

Lord God, thank you for the mothers around the world who are seeking to teach their children to walk in Your ways. Please bless them with strength, wisdom and courage, and reward them for their diligence.

By Ann Shorb

Don’t stop reading now! Keep scrolling down for more great resources.

**Scripture taken from the New International Version. Used by permission.

Copyright Ann Shorb, 2008

Feathers from My Nest: A Mother’s Reflection By Beth Moore / B & H Publishing Group If you enjoyed Beth Moore’s Things Pondered, you’ll love Feathers from My Nest! Taking a more contemplative and personal approach, Beth reflects on items left behind by her daughters. Her intimate vignettes reveal special memories filled with spiritual insights—and a reminder of the precious gift of grace children provide every day. With a new foreword by Beth’s daughters, it’s a terrific Mother’s Day gift! 224 pages, hardcover, B&H.

Prayers & Promises: For Mothers By Rachel Quillin / Barbour Publishing Character, discipline, gentleness, obedience, protection, patience, self-control, worry . . . Moms have so many important concerns to bring to God-and often so little time to meet with Him. Prayers & Promises for Mothers can help to bridge the gap. It’s brimming with nearly two hundred scriptural promises and companion prayers that seek God’s blessings on all the practical issues of a mother’s everyday life. Moms can use them as personal “prayer starters,” or simply as daily devotions.

This entry was posted on Sunday, May 11th, 2008 at 1:34 pm and is filed under Holidays/Seasons. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.