Most Sundays you can find me on the platform at my home church leading our congregation in worship music, alongside our wonderful worship team. This year, I had the exceptional honor of speaking for our Mother’s Day service.
It was a blessing for our lead pastor to invite me and a privilege to fill the pulpit and bring the message on this special day. With that responsibility, I was also afforded the opportunity to, with a grateful heart, publicly bless and honor my mother.
Those of us who experience the good fortune to be raised and nurtured by a mother who loves the Lord and sets a godly example, will stand up and proclaim to the world, “I am blessed because of her.”
Mom & Me, Mother’s Day, May 13, 2018
We make this proclamation because they have adopted the attitude of Christ into their hearts. Subsequently, their love of God in Christ is poured upon us, and into us, as her child(ren).
Let’s face it a woman can make or break the spirit of her home with her attitude. She can create a negative atmosphere with critical contentiousness, odious offensiveness, or clamorous, angry, foolishness. All these easily find fodder and are displayed without thought of consequence.
On the other hand, a gracious, virtuous, and wise woman creates a positive, inviting atmosphere in her home. Such a home welcomes people with loving embrace and lifts them to new heights.
I grew up in the home of a godly, gracious, honorable and virtuous woman. Then, at the age of 19, I married the son of another such woman. These two special ladies, as well as both my grandmothers, beautifully adorned with wisdom and Christ-likeness, helped mold me into the woman I am today.
Many other women of significance in my life continue this shaping of me and my character through their wisdom and mentorship. These ladies pour from their lives into mine and add tremendous value to me, so I may pour value into others, ripples …
You see, we are purveyors of HOPE!
We offer hope to our husbands in their endeavors. We offer hope to our children in teaching them as they grow. We offer hope to our friends as we cultivate a culture of love, peace, hope and joy in our homes and reach outside those walls into their lives. We offer hope to the world around us as we bear the yield of the presence of the Holy Spirit. Ripples …
Many scriptures emphasize the impact of women on society and particularly for the glory of the Lord. One of my favorites is found in Psalm 68:11, “The LORD gives the command: The WOMEN who proclaim the good tidings are a GREAT HOST.”
My prayer for myself is that I bring good tidings of the presence of the Lord with every encounter with others, everyday. In the end, may my husband, my children, and my spiritual children be able to do as Solomon declared,
Her children will rise up and bless her;
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying;
“Many daughters have done nobly, but you excel them all.”
Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord shall be praised.
(Proverbs 31:27-30)
Amid this world of chaos and clamor, may my life expand beyond myself creating ripples of peace, love, and joy. Ripples …
