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May DevotionalMother's DayI was recently appalled when I heard on the radio that a major organization was trying to get rid of the American holiday Mother’s Day. It has only been a few short (eight) years since I became a mother and could celebrate Mother’s Day as one myself. After praying for ten years for a child, God granted us the desire of our hearts and our son was born. It has seemed a miracle ever since. When we found out that we were expecting, my husband and I were both teaching in a Christian school in Minnesota. After many years of silently struggling with our inability to become pregnant, we decided to share our burden with other church members and ask them to pray with us. Our church in Texas was praying fervently with us, but it seemed to no avail. When we moved to Minnesota, we shared with our church once again and also our students. We knew what a blessing it would be to have our students have their prayers answered. We also felt that children have a consistent prayer life for those that they love and would take our request seriously. When we found out we were expecting, it was all we could do to keep it a secret. We wanted to give adequate time for the pregnancy to be established and we wanted to let our family know at spring break. It was such a thrill to stand before the congregation and read Jeremiah 29:11, For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Our desire was being fulfilled and we felt joy at God’s blessing upon our lives. I recently found a card from one of our students to my husband at the end of the school year. We both had taught her through her 4th, 5th and 6th grade years. Her card reads, “When you found out that you were having Kyle, and told the class last year, that was so nice to be a part of that answered prayer!” This young girl is now a college student. I believe she and all the students will take the memory of answered prayer with them throughout their lives. Just as exciting to our extended family was the addition of a little boy by adoption six years later. He was an answered prayer after fifteen years of marriage. Although the circumstances for his birth parents were less than ideal, his mother chose to give him life - and a family. His adoptive parents could not be happier and are doing their best to raise an adorable little boy for the glory of God. They continue to be a witness to the birth mother. The Bible says the fruit of the womb is his reward. Women that find themselves pregnant should feel blessed. The life of a child is a gift of God and although every birth mother may not feel that the circumstances are right in which to raise that child, there are so many godly, loving, couples that would gladly give that child a home. Although the birth mother of my relatives little boy is at times sad, she knows in her heart that she gave her son the best thing he could have on earth, a loving Christian home. Mother’s Day is only days away. If you desire to be a mother and have been unsuccessful, my heart grieves for you and I encourage you to seek medical counsel for both you and your spouse. The medical world is wonderfully equipped to help determine issues that may be prohibiting conception. There are also nutritional methods that are effective as well. I also recommend seeking out those who are godly and ask them to pray with you for God’s will concerning a child. Be open to counsel concerning issues that may need to be addressed in your marriage before a child comes into your home. If you are unable to have children seek God’s will concerning adoption. God is able to give finances and make opportunities for families to be united for the sake of a child and even sibling groups. Don’t limit yourself to what God may want to bring into your home! Maybe you have no children and are beyond the age of conception or your grandchildren live too far away. Prayerfully consider becoming “adoptive” grandparents or “aunts and uncles” to children who need that relationship in their lives. In our mobile society there are children who are missing out on their relatives being close and you can use this opportunity to be a blessing to both the child/children and their parents. May I also recommend that if you have a baby, seek out those who do not have children and give them the opportunity to hold that little one.. When a woman’s arms are empty, that pain can be eased by holding a little one for quality time; then, pray for that couple to have their own bundle of joy. If you are pregnant and are contemplating abortion, may I plead with you that you choose life as the Bible commands. Abortion is murder and although forgivable by God, it is permanent. There are countless families who would give your child a home filled with love. Mother’s Day will be celebrated this year in the card industry. How will you respond? The truth of the matter is that we all have a mother. Whether brought into this world by a loving family, adopted by a loving family, or carefully born with the help of a doctor in the lab, we all have had a mother at one time or another. Celebrate her this year for giving you life! I didn’t appreciate my mother so much as when I became one. Now on my birthday I think a lot about my mother and the sacrifices she made to bring me into the world. I share the day with her more now than I ever did before; we have a joint interest and a mutual respect for the whole process of giving life. In a world where motherhood is berated by the naysayer, we have a wonderful opportunity to show great love and appreciation to our own mothers. We should lift the banner high and proclaim to the world that God loves mothers, created mothers, and created motherhood! What an awesome opportunity we have. Four of my friends lost their mothers this year. I grieve for them because I know this Mother’s Day will be hard. I know they look forward to seeing them in Heaven one day because of their trust in Christ as Savior. God gives us this promise in John 3:16, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. If you do not have assurance that you will have everlasting life, please consider these words and call BFLW for more information on how you too can spend life with the greatest father of all, GOD. LeeAnn Fowler |
