Mom Power!
Happy Mother's Day to all the moms, grandmothers, aunties, stepmoms, and mother-figures! In this episode, you are celebrated and recognized as the miracle and blessing you are! It's short and sweet but power-packed with encouraging nuggets.
Mother’s Day is the most celebrated holiday, right behind Christmas as the largest gift-giving holiday and the 3-rd largest card-sending holiday! In America, we are expected to spend over 34 billion dollars!
Moms, I think it’s safe to say we are worth our weight in gold and will undoubtedly exceed $34 billion! Around the world, celebrating mothers, motherhood, and those who care for others like a mother is a big deal.
I tried to get my mom to come on my podcast to talk about motherhood, but she said she was shy. Go figure - the woman who gave birth to 4 of us, fostered an adult child, and has and still plays an influential role in every niece, nephew, friend of mine, and my siblings, and anyone who needs wisdom, love, or a hug - My mom is there. And I must add my mother-in-law, Nolia, who has been and is a picture of grace in my life and those around her, in the US and abroad. She travels worldwide spreading the love of Jesus Christ on the mission field with her husband. These women have fought and been a wall of protection for their children, no matter how old we get.
A mother’s labor of love is priceless, even when they’re not perfect. Being a mother is the most amazing and greatest accomplishment I have ever done. Even now, as my children are adults, I pray I didn’t leave anything important out while raising them, and I take comfort in knowing that God has them covered for every misstep and misinformation I gave them along the way. Motherhood reminds you that you are resilient, stronger than you think, brave, and so much more. As a mother, you navigate torrential storms and tornado-like life challenges in the cycle of life, yet you still manage to get up each day, do laundry, and cook a meal as if the world had not just flipped upside down!
If you have ever played a role in the life of another, like mothers do, you know what I mean - this message is also for you. You hold at least one person in your heart - this person grips every vein and blood vessel and becomes ingrained in the cells of your body. When they hurt, you hurt. When they’re well, you’re well. I can’t imagine raising my three children without God and His infinite wisdom and love for me.
Honestly, after my first child, I wondered how I could love another as much as I loved Elisha. I was afraid I would be unable to do it, but when Cherie came, my heart expanded in ways I couldn’t imagine. We thought two was good, but God said no, you need three, and we had Jordan, who turned our world upside down, and my heart grew larger and larger! Incredible - Know this - God gives you the capacity to love and love more, greater, and deeper; stronger with the grace to keep walking when things don’t go your way.
When you look at the Lotus flower, they are so beautiful - but murky and muddy waters surround; its surroundings may not be lovely, but it remains intact and gorgeous! Storms come and go, yet they stay connected to their roots, their petals thick, strong, and resilient. Their depths are deep, and they reach up to 6 feet. They can survive in close to freezing temperatures but thrive in the warmth. The lotus flower’s ability to rise above adversity makes it one of God’s many admirable blossoming plants. I can’t help but compare their beauty and strength to that of mothers.
Jesus had an experience with his mother - they were celebrating at a Cana wedding in Galilee, at the height of the celebration, and ran out of wine. Mary saw the need - because mothers are problem-solvers - and she looked at Jesus and told him the problem. He responded with “it’s not my time yet,” but Mary knew that that moment called for her son to step out into his calling. She didn’t even respond. Still, she looked around at those serving and boldly said, “Do whatever He tells you to do”.
Jesus took this direction from his mother and turned upwards of 180 gallons of water into the best wine known around, so much so that the host noticed and called it the “best”. What miracle or gift has your mom or mother figure been trying to pull out of you? Pay attention - It’s likely the best!
So, mom’s - I pray that you understand how vital you are to those who love you and call you mom, auntie, grandma, or friend. You can be the greatest mom ever, not because you do everything right or always make the best choices, but because God will walk beside you and give you the capacity to raise and pour into your children the pieces and keys that will make them beautiful and unique. He’s planned it that way. I pray that you are celebrated today and every day because God is celebrating you. How do I know? He put in you the power to love and carry a child in your very body - whether you have given birth or not - the spirit of a mother lies within you.
With that, know that you are essential to God and those around you - so, be bold and beautiful because God’s got you!