CHILDREN ARE A GIFT FROM THE LORD
Each year, the second Sunday in May is set aside as a day to honor and celebrate mothers throughout the United States. Department stores, florists, greeting card shops and restaurants rake in tons of money as customers scramble to find just the right Mother’s Day gift!
A woman doesn’t have to have biological children to be a mother. Every day women from all walks of life step in to teach, mentor, nurture and even raise children they did not birth. They recognize just how special children really are. Psalms 127:3 (New Living Translation) says:
“Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from Him.”
As the scripture says, children are a blessing, regardless of the circumstances. For instance, some children are planned, while others are not. Some children are born within the confines of marriage, while others are born out of wedlock. Some children are birthed by adult mothers, while others are born to teenage mothers. Some children grow up in healthy situations, while others experience not so healthy ones. Some children are born completely healthy, while others live with physical and/or mental disabilities. Nevertheless, God says each child is a gift!
I personally do not have biological children. However, I still recognize the importance of a mother’s role, which is why I truly appreciate the mothers in my own life: my mother Geraldine, my grandmothers Eunice and Nathan, who are no longer with us, my godmother Joyce, and the women who have served as mother figures to me, like my Aunt Ethel (aka Aunt Rabbit) who is also no longer with us. Although I’ve never birthed children, in my role as a high school English teacher, I was a mother figure to many of my students. I’ve had students consult me for advice, share their secrets, cry on my shoulder and even accompany me to church. Last year on Mother’s Day, a student, whom I taught my first year as a teacher, contacted me via Facebook:
Reading those heartfelt words really blessed me. I am thankful for every young life God has allowed me to touch!
WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE FOR MOTHERS?
Although I don’t have children of my own, I yet recognize that being a mother is not always easy. When a child is born, he or she doesn’t leave the womb with an instructional manual in hand. Fortunately, plenty of resources are available. First and foremost, you have the Bible! God’s Word is filled with scriptures and stories to help guide you as you raise your children.
For instance, Proverbs 22:6 is a verse parents often refer to for encouragement and instruction. The verse states:
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (King James Version)
As the verse states, God expects parents to teach their children His ways and to put them on the right path. So, even if your children go astray, they will eventually return to their roots because the foundation has already been laid.
In addition to the Bible, parents can also refer to other resources like books, videos, workshops, seminars, and other parents who have more knowledge and experience. As the old saying goes, “It takes a village to raise a child.” In other words, as a mother, you don’t have to do it all by yourself. While you shouldn’t rely on the “village” to raise your children for you, they can offer suggestions, advice and encouragement, lend a helping hand when needed, and even watch your children, so you can get much needed rest.
ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION?
As a mother, it is imperative that you pay attention to your children! Children are impressionable or easily influenced because their minds are still developing. This applies to teenagers, as well. Some may seem to mature physically at a rapid pace, but their minds are still catching up. Therefore, it’s important to pay close attention to what they do, where they go, who they are around and what they say. Be mindful of what they view on television, on the internet and on their phones. Moreover, be proactive when it comes to your child’s academics.
As an educator, I learned early on in my career that students of attentive parents tend to be more successful than students whose parents are not attentive. In the 2007 film Freedom Writers, Academy Award winner Hilary Swank portrays a teacher of students who are labeled as “at risk”.
Some are in gangs and dealing drugs. Others have parents who are addicts or in prison. One student in the movie is even homeless. In one particular scene, Swank’s character is excited about meeting the parents of her students at Open House. She has decorated her classroom and prepared refreshments. Unfortunately, no parents show up! However, when she looks down the hallway, she notices that the teacher of the honors students has a classroom full of parents. Swank’s character, therefore, quickly realizes she will have to be creative and find another way to reach her students.
If you haven’t been paying close attention to your children, then I encourage you to repent. To repent means more than just uttering “God forgive me.” To repent is to change your ways and do what God expects of you. If you don’t quite know how to be more attentive, ask God. He will show you and give you the wisdom and strength you need. God expects all mothers, including mother figures, to love and care for His children, for it will help them become everything He intends for them to be.
THE PRAYER OF SALVATION
If you haven’t accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, you can do so right now. I then encourage you to find a good Bible-believing church that will help you grow in your relationship with the Lord.
Romans 10:9 (NIV) says, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Please pray the following prayer:
Dear Jesus, I come to You confessing I am a sinner in need of a Savior. I believe You shed Your blood on the cross and died for my sins, were buried and rose again so I could be free! Please forgive me for my sins and the life I have lived. I confess You Jesus as Lord and accept You as my own personal Savior. According to the Word of God, I am now saved! Hallelujah! I AM FREE!
WELCOME TO THE FAMILY OF GOD!!!!!
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From their union were born seven children: Herschel Alvin (front row, left), Pearlie Inez (front row, right), Rubye Mae (2nd row, right), Ethel Pearl (2nd row, 2nd from right), Mary Helen (2nd row, center), James Hosea (back row) and Geraldine Marie (my mommy, 2nd row, left). 
So, based on those numbers alone, one can only imagine how large our family has become….pretty large!
In fact, maintaining faith in God is how our family thrives! I am thankful that I was taught at an early age to love and trust in the Almighty! My faith is what keeps me and propels me to achieve greater! My mother and her siblings were not only taught to love and trust God, but they watched their parents live their lives devoted to Him. Church attendance, Bible study and prayer meetings were the norm. As a result, my generation received the same teachings, and for that, I am truly grateful. 
God has surrounded me with LOVE. My cousin Michelle expressed to me recently why she believes having these annual family reunions is a must. “This family reunion is so important to me. We have aging family members, and I don’t want a funeral to serve as a family reunion. I want our kids to know who their family is and why we are who we are.” 
