Below is a devotional I gave for a friend's baby shower in 1999. I found this on my computer and before I deleted it, I figured I'd post it to my blog. I little bit of what my thoughts were way back when.
Being a mom for less than two years hardly qualifies me to give words of wisdom about motherhood, or to give advice, or to tell anyone what to expect in the years ahead.
How exciting it is to have the opportunity to raise children for the Lord. Children are a gift from God. They are not a right we have and they are not something we should expect from God. Christian parents know we can depend on God as we raise our children, we see God's reflection in the heart's of our children and we fight to filter out the world's views of how we are to live. When we see God's perfect miracle in the creation of newborn babies, we realize how each child put into our care is truly His gift to us.
We know that dependance on the Lord is the key to anything we do. Having the word of God hidden in our hearts will cause it to overflow onto others around us, especially those we spend the most time with, like our young children. Dependence on God requires taking time with God. Mom's are busy ladies, remember to use our opportunities God gives us to pray and talk to God about every concern and joy you experience throughout the day. God did create moms, He knows the job description.
When we depend on Him, we are able to build others up. As a mother, remember to look at each child as an opportunity to be a God's reflection and look for His reflection in each child. The Bible says be imitators of Christ. Children love to repeat and copy things about a person they admire. Aim for Christ's reflection in ourselves in hopes that our children will be drawn to want to imitate those qualities.
It's so hard not to let the world's expectations cloud our thinking. For Christian parents, from day one, the world is right there to be a huge distraction. There is so much to influence and persuade us. The world puts thoughts into our minds that we should buy and do. Parents can be left feeling guilty and empty that if they don't do it all, their child will not get off to the right start and will be far behind. We must be on guard for our children to filter out the world.
As we take on these tiny gifts from God, do it with all your heart. Enjoy the time your young children are in your home. Pray for the day that they will personally experience the joy of walking with Jesus. Proverbs 16:13 Commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed. Eph. 5:15-16 Be careful then how your live not as unwise but as wise making the most of every opportunity. Proverbs 16:9 In her heart a "mother" plan's "her" course, but the Lord determines "her" steps. Luke 18:1 Always pray and not give up.
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