What You Do Matters, Mama

Dear Mama,

This week we celebrate you.

Maybe you’ll receive a big party and time to kick up your feet or maybe you’ll feel unnoticed and unappreciated, working long hours, washing and scrubbing while your back and your feet ache with fatigue.

Noticed or not, dear Mama, what you do matters, and I want you to know it – to know that I appreciate you! I thank God for you!

When I hear about the solid trust you have in Jesus and your outpouring of love to all the Christians, to other believers, and those who don’t yet believe, I can’t stop thanking God for you. When I pray, I think of you and give thanks (Ephesians 1:15-16 MSG).

You are doing a good work. You are pouring out and patiently loving well and long and hard. You give and hope and, even when you struggle, you dig deep and give more. You love well, Mama.

I know there are days when you feel inadequate. I have those days too. The truth is, I am inadequate! We all are! This calling of motherhood is an immense one. We do often have more than we can handle, but as we remain in Christ, He equips us with every good thing that we may do His will! (Hebrews 13:21)

When we’re tired, weary, and just plain overwhelmed, let’s respond to Jesus’ invitation to “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 NLT).

When we feel alone, because we all have those days, too, dear Friend, may we remember that we are not alone! As believers in Jesus Christ, we have the Holy Spirit living within us, and He will never leave us! (John 14:15-17)

God is with us! He sees us. He hears us. He is for us!

“The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help.
He rescues them from all their troubles.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;
he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

The righteous person faces many troubles,
but the Lord comes to the rescue each time” (Psalm 34: 17-19 NLT).

And if there are days when you just feel like giving up, may we remember the promises to us who believe:

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand” (Isaiah 41:10 NLT).

Sisters, we are not alone. We stand together as children of God and sisters in Christ, life-givers and character-molders. We are called by God to live this role of Mommy, and we will do it together.

Because more than just thanking God for you, I also ask. I ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory – to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing Him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is He is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life He has for Christians, oh the utter extravagance of His work in us who trust Him — endless energy, boundless strength (Ephesians 1:17-19 MSG).

Oh Mama, I pray that you know our Father in a deep, personal, life-changing way, and I pray that His strength will be manifest in you — you life-shaper, feeling-fixer, boo-boo-kisser warrior who holds chins and kisses cheeks and who holds the hearts inside these little chests.

May we see the glory in the mud and mildew and monotony of motherhood. God is doing a good work in us, through us, with us.

Endless energy, boundless strength — imagine! It is a reality for us who believe. May we know – may we experience – His strength today, as we know and experience Christ each day.

You, my friend:

“You are a chosen [woman], a royal [priest], a holy [daughter], God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Pet. 2:9 NIV).

Happy Mother’s Day, my Mama friend. You are a hero in my book.

Blessings,

Erika

 

Flickr Photo Credit: Nina Matthews