I Wasn’t Like the Other Mothers

I wasn’t like the other mothers!

One thing I love about being a mom—our work is never done. Being a mom is multi-faceted and requires around the clock attention if we are to meet the needs and responsibilities of our children and families

Some of my most treasured ‘mom’ roles include encourager, motivator, cheerleader, teacher, and prayer warrior.  My husband and I wanted our girl child to grow up to be bold, confident, courageous, kind, compassionate, and a godly young woman.

Sounds like a pretty tall order. Yet it was the lessons learned by each of us that made the experiences unforgettable.

I’m a sucker for remembering childhood memories, both the good and not so good. But it’s what we did together that shaped me individually and as a mother.

One such lesson happened at age 10 when my daughter and I were visiting before dinner and she announced that I wasn’t like the other mothers. Please forgive me for the surprised look on my face, but I’m not sure any mom is prepared for that.

When I asked what she meant, she said I was not the least bit sympathetic. She said that when she was dealing with a challenging or hurtful situation I automatically told her to, ‘dust herself off, pull herself up by her bootstraps, and move on,’ with no regard for her emotional state.

She told me that I didn’t give her much time to be sad, cry, or feel sorry for herself. I just always expected her to regroup and be strong and courageous.

There was plenty of encouragement and love

Her perspective may have been a bit skewed because I remember giving lots of hugs, tons of kisses, plenty of encouraging words, and total unconditional love and support.

Fast forward to her early 20’s when she brought the subject up again. This time though, she told me how much she appreciated her dad and I, and that because of our encouragement and positive modeling, we had taught her to be strong, handle adversity, and bounce back during the tough times.

My hope was that we had lovingly prepared her to face adulthood with confidence and given her a toolbox filled with as many resources as possible.

I know this kind of encouragement and tough emotional stand doesn’t work with all kids, but it worked with her. Through our discussions with her we always provided examples of how to work through any problem or issue she faced. And, we supported those examples with God’s word.

I know she won’t know all the answers to future challenges, but her dad and I did our best to equip her to work her way through anything. She learned early on how to deal with people, be a problem-solver, and figure out how to navigate life’s little hiccups.

What we did for her is no different than what God does for us. Our Heavenly Father is tough on us when He needs to be. His word tells us to always do right, be kind, compassionate, and love others just as He loves us.

Was I the perfect parent? Absolutely not. But I prayed a lot, leaned on God’s word, and partnered with her dad to provide a stable and loving environment that nurtured and encouraged her. And He covered us with His abundant grace, even when our parenting skills ran amuck.

And He covered us with His abundant grace, even when our parenting skills ran amuck. @a_joyfulpeace

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God’s word tells us in Proverbs 31:26, “She opens her mouth with wisdom and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.”

Raising godly children

Today our girl child is a wife and a mom, and we pray that the lessons she experienced during her growing up years have prepared her to model a life of ‘faith in action.’ It’s encouraging to see her equipped to make a positive and loving difference in the lives of her husband and children.

I am thankful for God’s faithfulness during this journey of raising a child. And I am even more grateful for the privilege to be her mother. He provided me reassurance every step of the way, and His word speaks powerful and absolute truths.

He provided me reassurance every step of the way, and His word speaks powerful and absolute truths. @a_joyfulpeace

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“Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord’s word to her will be fulfilled.” Luke 1:45

As we encourage moms to equip their children to walk in His truths, here are 5 keys to raising godly children:

1. Make God’s word the standard in your home.
2. Train your children in the way they should go. Parents are to bring up their children with love, and provide nurturing and discipline.
3. Help your children to grow in godliness and develop godly character qualities.
4. Teach your children about truth and responsibility. Help them to recognize deceit so it doesn’t take root in their heart.
5. Take time regularly to bless your children.

I have included an additional resource here to encourage moms (and dads) as they raise their children to walk in God’s word. You will be touched and inspired as you read this post by Lisa Appelo.

Happy Mother’s Day my sweet friends!

Mitzi