Parents are capable of more than anyone can imagine. They can have the strength of 10 men and the skills of 20 secret service agents. Parents are quick on the draw and can lead an army of 1,000 two-year-olds to victory over the Roman Empire. The point is a mother and father team is an extraordinary force of nature. And while they are part of that extraordinary team, moms are unique in their membership.
A mother invests much of her time and energy making sure her children are cared for. I try to give all I have to ensure my children have all they need and, most importantly, that they are safe. I know you are aware of the world we live in and, sadly, our children are innocent moving targets. I send my first grader to school every day praying and having faith that the Lord will allow my brown-eyed little boy to return home safely that afternoon. I drop my other sweet boy at daycare every morning having faith that God’s hand will rest over the building and all will be well. Where do I find this faith? God’s Word. Mark 11:24 and Romans 15:13 are two fantastic and encouraging Scriptures about faith. Do not get me wrong. I did not just wake up with this faith, and there are days where I am truly worried about my babies. But, if you do not find faith in God, faith that only He can give, then you will be consumed with fear—which is exactly what the enemy wants.
I enjoy reading about the faithful women of the Bible. Ruth, for instance, had true faith when leaving her home to follow Naomi. Sarah had great faith that the Lord would provide her and Abraham with a child. Mary, the mother of Jesus, had tremendous faith that God would lay His hand upon her and Joseph and protect them as she gave birth to the Savior.
Mary’s faith and peace mesmerize me. The night she gave birth, she held the baby Jesus in her arms, despite knowing His plan was far beyond her comprehension, with a faith that God would use this tiny baby to save the world. Can you imagine the number of times Jesus left the house and she would worry about His return? If I were the mother of the King of Kings, I would probably be a nervous wreck. Mary’s faith and trust in God is amazing.
Sometimes our faith is tested beyond our comprehension. In May of 2008 I suffered a miscarriage. I was not far enough along in my pregnancy to require actually burying my sweet baby like so many other have had to do. But I did suffer from the indescribable amount of sadness laid upon my heart. There are some parents who have had to bury their children, small and grown. I cannot begin to imagine what that would be like. It brings tears to my eyes and hurts my heart for those moms and dads. Like the strong women of the Bible, those faithful parents who continue to trust the Lord and deal with their pain day by day are such godly examples of parents of great faith.
Mothers, find your faith and comfort in Jesus. From the day you learn you are pregnant, trust that God will protect your little one. Pray daily for protection, peace, and guidance. Become a woman of great faith. Learn more about the faithful women of the Bible and model yourselves after them. Give your children over to the Lord and trust that His hand will rest upon them.
