Today, I am having a Mom's Devotional followed by a craft for the children.  I would love for this to become a monthly event.  I posted a notice about this on two of the local homsechool yahoo groups I am on, and several ladies contacted me saying they wished they lived closer.  I am sharing the devotional that God gave me with the hope that it touch someone's heart. 

The Value of a Mother

As mom’s, we can often feel overlooked.  We may even feel neglected, or under appreciated.  Our daily tasks of keeping our home in order, tending to family finances, preparing meals, and keeping harmony within our family can wear on us.  We can find comfort in the Lord, because HE knows the plan he has set before us, and before our children.  God gives us some guidelines for parenting, which can strengthen us in difficult times, and steady us in easy times.  

God calls each and every one of us His.  He knows us before we were even concieved he knows our children too -

“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee...” Jeremiah 1:5 Often times we forget from whom we came…from God.  It is only through His creation of us that we are here.

While we often think WE are in control, we aren’t.  Proverbs 16:9 “A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.”  If we step back and give our life to God, all aspects, great and small, he will continue to guide us, and with him leading, we can follow peacefully.

We are to trust in God in all aspects of our lives: Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”  There is a great comfort in knowing that God will provide for us.

Be patient with our children: Ephesians 6:4 “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” – This goes for us mothers as well.  Beside this verse in my bible, I have written the words ‘Don’t yell Hope’.  Shamefully, I admit I have a tendency to yelling when I become upset.  It is very humbling for me to go back to this verse and realize this is an area I need much growth in. 

Give our children to the Lord – the story of Hannah in 1 Samuel 1:20 “Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the Lord”…  she dedicated this child to the Lord, and at a young age (the bible says after he was weaned), she left him with the priest to be raised so that he would serve the Lord…. could we do that?  We have a hard time trusting our children with a babysitter, and we worry when they are with family, anytime they are away from us.  But Hannah trusted her child to the Lord, trusted that he would be taken care of. 

Teach the child God’s word – Mark 10:13 “ And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them, and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.  But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer [allow] the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God.”  Surely we as Christian mothers allow our children to see God, but are we doing everything we can to show them God?  Do they hear us pray to him?  Do they see us read our bible?  Are we setting the example for how they should live their lives on?

Blessings,

Hope