Timeless Motherhood Advice {What I’ve Learned From Scripture}

*** The nature of this article is highly sensitive in nature. The opinions here are my own, based on my own motherhood journey. I hope that everyone will take something from my experience and I’d love to hear from you if you find these words as empowering as I do! ***

We go to a lot of places for “mom advice”. Our friends. The internet. Books. Our own moms. Dr. Phil (ha). BLOG POSTS. But did you know that the BIBLE…yes, the bible, actually has some pretty great advice about mothering, too? We all have different beliefs and different spiritual backgrounds. My belief is that the Bible is God’s word, and true. But even if you don’t believe that, read the following two verses, and tell me that at a bare minimum, it’s not at least good advice? Really good advice. Advice that is bound to make your day better, make your children’s day better, and change your whole perspective (for the better).

“This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24)

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace”.  (Ephesians 4:2-3)

So let’s start with….“This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it”

What if every day, we reminded ourselves of that? Not just once, when we first woke up in the morning, but all throughout the day. This…..this day where I am doing nothing but changing poopie diapers, sweeping crumbs off the floor, picking up toys only to pick them up all over again, driving everyone here, there, everywhere, breaking up fights, drying up tears (my kids and my own), making lunches that no one eats, cleaning up messes I didn’t even make, bathing everyone EXCEPT for myself…THIS is the day the Lord has MADE. He decided to let me live another day, He decided I should live it with these kids He has given me, and there are things He wants me to do today. Those things might not seem so glamorous or exciting or even always enjoyable, but there is purpose in them, because it is a day that He made, filled with responsibilities that He chose to give me. And what’s more….I should REJOICE in that. There is a lot to rejoice in each day, no matter how hard the day is. We can rejoice that we have been given the opportunity and the honor to BE moms. Rejoice that what we are doing matters A LOT. Rejoice that there is great purpose even in the tasks that seem menial. Rejoice in the millions of small blessings and precious moments throughout the day, that we get to witness, and participate in.

Next…“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love”.  

Ummmmm……

Does this sound like you on most days? COMPLETELY humble? COMPLETELY gentle?? Patient????

This sounds virtually nothing like me on most days, but I can only imagine how my children (my husband, my friends) would benefit if this DID sound like me.

Humble: to lower in condition or importance (for example, I can choose to not freak out, if the day does not go exactly MY way, and MY agenda does not occur. I can JOYFULLY put my children’s needs and wants ahead of mine)

Gentle: kind, amiable; not severe or rough; mild (I can respond to my children’s complete and total insanity with kindness, not harshness. I can be a calming presence, not someone who escalates.) I saw this the other day, and thought it was great:

Patient: bearing provocation, annoyance, misfortune, delay, hardship, pain,etc., with fortitude and calm and without complaint, anger, or the like (Yeah. The exact opposite of that? That’s me most days. )

I definitely do not write this article as someone who does these things well, and is now encouraging you to be more like me. I am writing this article as someone who fails MISERABLY, DAILY at these things, but who is trying.

I think our days could go much differently, and our kids could really blossom and flourish, if every day, we embraced our day with purpose, rejoiced in it, and gave it our very best shot to be COMPLETELY (heck, even 50%) humble, gentle, and patient.

Hopefully this can serve as a good reminder for myself, and encourage YOU as well.

Mom-ing is hard work, folks. Let’s learn from Someone who knows more than we do!