My
scripture comes from Proverbs 31:10-31.
Today is the day when Moms get the special treatment, right?
You know, breakfast in bed; homemade Mother’s Day cards and gifts from the
kids; flowers from your husband; lunch at your favorite restaurant; and
absolutely no house cleaning! I know that is going to happen at my house. Yeah right.
Frank’s response is…..You are not my mother….and that is true.
But….today is your day and you deserve it. I mean, being a
Mother is one of the most important, most influential, most difficult and yet
is sometimes the most thankless role a person can ever have. So today we say
“Thanks you Moms” for all you do.
Listen to how God describes what a virtuous woman is like;
what a great Mom is like. [3]
[Read
Proverbs 31:10-31.]
Now that’s a good Mom. But even though we can see what it
means to be a good Mother, it’s still a challenge. Being a good Mom is hard! You’ve
got to be a housekeeper, a taxi driver, a cook, an appointment manager, a
nurse, a judge, a referee, a teacher, a counselor, a beautician, a friend, a
disciplinarian, and a loving ear when you kids need to be heard.
Being a
Mom is tough. Even though being a Mom can be the greatest and
most rewarding privilege there is, it’s still tough. So this morning God wants
to give you some encouragement. This morning, God wants to give you a Mother’s
Day card just from Him.
In your bulletin is an insert that can be used to write down
God’s message of encouragement. And even if you aren’t a Mother, maybe you know
of someone who could use these words, so take notes. Then you’ll be able to
turn to these Mother’s Day cards from God when you need some encouragement.
Especially:
When you feel discouraged:
Discouragement can come to a Mother at any given time.
- When your kids act up and do the same things you’ve told
them over and over not to do.
- When you can’t get a break from the kid’s sicknesses or
accidents or both.
- When you feel an emotional distance between you and your
kids.
- When you feel like your husband isn’t helping you with
parenting as much as he should be.
- When others look down on you because of the way you choose
to parent.
Discouragement
can be a very real force in a Mother’s life. But when that discouragement comes
and tries to steal your joy, remember that God is with you and will help you
with what He’s called you to do.
Listen to what it says in Isaiah 41:10. “So do not fear for I am with you; do not be
dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold
you with my righteous right hand.” God is here and will help you to be the
Mother He’s called you to be. Turn to this insert when discouragement comes and
read God’s Message to you.
You can also turn to these cards:
When you feel angry. Now
you’ve never gotten angry with your kids have you? Why, our kids are so
precious and perfect that there’s never a need for anger in our household.
“Okay!” Kids can make us angry! “You used my eyeliner to draw a
picture!” “You did what to the
cat?” “Why did you try and cut your own
hair?” “Son, you know you can’t wear the
same underwear three days in a row!”
Now, anger is a normal emotion that can be used for good –
that’s as long as we don’t let our anger control us to the point that we cause
harm to others. Anger out of control only causes more problems. So when you
feel angry, open up this card and read God’s Message to you from Ephesians
4:26-27.
"In
your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,
and do not give the devil a foothold.”
Anger out of control can give Satan an opportunity to drive
a wedge in your family’s relationships. Out of control anger can create
emotional scars that take a lot to heal. Mom’s, anger is normal and even
expected under certain circumstances. But let God help you control it instead
of it controlling you. Look at this card when you feel angry.
Also, look at this card: When you need wisdom
Sometimes it’s hard to know what to do as a Mom. So many
decisions that need to be made. Important, life-changing and life-altering
decisions. Questions about our kid’s education, our kid’s moral issues, health
concerns, paying for college, when they should start dating, (never), and all
other kinds of things. Things as simple as, “How can I get my kids to go
through one day without fighting?” Or things as crucial as, “How can I help my
kids understand that God loves them even when life is hard.” But always
remember, God will give you the wisdom you need to be the best Mom you can be.
Look at what is says in James 1:5. “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask
God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to
him.”
Now this doesn’t mean you’ll always have just the right
answer for the questions of life. But it does mean that the Lord will help you
know how to handle the situations that He allows to come into your life. When
you need wisdom remember these words.
Along with needing wisdom, a Mother also might need some
encouragement: When you feel alone
Now that might not seem like a legitimate need to some
people. I mean, you’ve got your kids with you all day. You aren’t alone, you’ve
always got someone to talk to. But even though a Mom can have her kids around
her all day long, there are times when she can still feel alone. A Mom can feel
alone when:
- Her husband works so much that he’s either mentally gone
even physically gone most of the time.
- Her kids are too young to have an adult conversation with
them.
- Her kids are the only ones throwing a temper-tantrum in a
crowded restaurant.
These are just a few of the things that can cause a Mother
to feel alone. So
when those times come remember that you aren’t alone.
- In John 14:18
Jesus said, “I will not leave you
comfortless; I will come to you.”
- God tells us in Hebrews
13:5 – “I will never leave you; I
will never forsake you.”
- When Jesus left this earth to return to His Heavenly
Father, He left this promise for you in Matthew
28:20, “And, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”
You are
not alone! Because of the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life you
will never, ever, ever be alone. In those times we must remember that Truth.
God is with us and within us in such a way that we are never alone.
Call out to Him in those times and ask Him for reassurance;
Ask Him for comfort; Ask to sense His presence. He is with you and always will
be.
Isn’t that great? I’m so glad that I don’t have to walk
through life alone. God is with us. So remember that when you feel lonely. This
card can also be referenced:
When
you feel tired
Now men let me ask you a question. Have you ever said to
your wife something like, “Just why are you so tired?” “I worked all day. What
did you do?” You know what happened
right? You found yourself on the losing end of an hour long argument of
comparing your job with her life and just who should be tired around here. Who
should be tired? Probably both parents! Work is tiring. Mothering is tiring.
Just because a woman isn’t punching a clock in the factory doesn’t mean she
shouldn’t get tired. You see, not only
is a Mother doing lots of manual labor called housework, she’s also dealing
with emotions and decisions and relationships that all take energy. So Moms, instead of brewing another pot of
coffee or gulping an energy drink, go to the Lord when you need some strength. Isaiah 40:29-31 reads: “He gives strength to the weary and
increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young
men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they
will walk and not be faint.”
Our God wants to give you the strength to do all that you
need to do. So when your strength is failing, and there’s nobody around to give
you a break, rely on our all-powerful God who will give you the strength to
carry on. And finally, something that
most Mothers can relate to, you can go to this card for some encouragement:
When
you’re worried
I think Mothers tend to worry because they care so much
about their kids. They laugh when their kids laugh. They cry when their kids
cry. They hurt when their kids fail. They rejoice when their kids triumph. Moms
want their kids to have the best and be the best. But sometimes Moms worry when things don’t go
as planned. Sometimes Moms worry when they see problems and pain coming for
their children. Worry comes when things seem like they’re out of our control
and going badly. But ladies, you don’t
have to be the perfect Mom for your kids to turn out okay. You can and will make
mistakes. Trying to be the perfect Mom isn’t a realistic goal. But what you can
be is the Mom that God’s enabled you to be. Stop comparing yourself with your
neighbor, with someone you saw on tv, or someone you read about in a book. Be
the Mom God’s created you to be, do your best, and leave the results up to Him.
And when worry comes, remember Philippians
4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about
anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present
your requests to God. And the peace of God,
which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in
Christ Jesus.” When you’re worried,
go to God who will calm your heart and give you peace.
I don’t know about you….but Isn’t God good? I mean, we can
go to Him when we feel discouraged, when we feel angry, when we need wisdom,
when we feel alone, when we feel tired and when we feel worried. Keep these
Mother’s day cards handy and refer to them often. Mom’s, being a Mother is a
high calling, and God wants to and will help you as you seek to love your
children into adulthood. God is here for you!
God is with us and will help us with life if we’ll simply have faith.
Mother’s Day Notes
A Mother’s Day Card
From God
Proverbs 31:10-31
1. Being a Mom is ___________________.
List jobs you find yourself tackling
A. E I M
B. F J
C. G K
D. H L
2. Being a Mom is
____________________________
Mom’s need
encouragement when they feel ____________________, when the kids
____________________, when you can’t get a ___________________, when they feel
emotional _________________________, when they are ___________________ down
upon, when their husbands do not _____________________. When you feel _____________. Discouragement can steal a Mom’s ___________.
(Ephesians 4:26-27)
2. Mom’s need ________________________. James 1:5, “If any of you lacks
_______________, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding
fault, and it will be given to him.”
3. Mom’s need some encouragement when they
feel ________________. John 14:18 tells
us “I will not leave you _____________________; I will come to you.” Hebrews 13:5 – “I will never _________________you. I will never forsake you.”
4. Mom’s need help when they feel
_________________. Isaiah 40:29-31 – He
gives strength to the __________________ and increases the power of the
_______________...They will soar on wings like ______________; they will run and
not grow _______________, they will walk and not be ___________________.”
5. Mom’s do not need to
___________________. God has got
this. Philippians 4:6: “Do not be ______________________ about
anything…..
