In my quest for large family encouragement this week, I stumbled upon a website which had caught my attention once before.
Though the website represents families with 7 or more children, the heart of most of the mothers would edify a family of any size. After all, it's not the quantity of children, but the heart of the parents in raising however many children the Lord blesses us with that matters most. I've been encouraged.
As I raise my little tribe of children and seek God's Word daily for wisdom and joy in my ministry here at home, I glean first and foremost from Him. God is the best parenting role model I could ever seek to emulate! He is the wisest Teacher!
"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children."
Ephesians 5:1
God is my Dad and the One I seek to imitate in my parenting. What would I do without Him and His Word as my guide?!
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness."
2 Timothy 3:16
Even so, I still look for earthly examples who exude the love of Christ in their parenting, especially when it comes to larger family parenting as I embrace my role as wife and mom, the keeper of my home. I don't know any families in person who have 8 or more children, so I'm thankful today for the families represented at Mega-Family Blogs. There's a love for motherhood that spurs me on in the hearts of many of the families represented. As I've been encouraged, I'm praying likewise that the Lord would allow me to be an encouragement to other mothers, no matter how many they rear, that God may be glorified in our parenting.
"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up."
1 Thessalonians 5:11
By God's grace, may we parents cherish the days of sweet Eskimo kisses, snuggle up with little ones who simply need a hug, turn to a worthy Savior with our trials, avoid escapism and instead lean hard into Jesus when we sin and struggle. May we embrace the education of our mommy-hearts as we learn the fruit of the Spirit through the day to day ministry of parenthood. May we learn to look on the bright side, grow in patience, love, kindness, and compassion. May we see rightly how God would have us view children, as blessed gifts from Him in our lives, even as He uses them to chisel us more into His image through difficulty. May we never wish the mothering days away, but rather be busy at home, serving our families out of Christ's abounding LOVE. May we take advantage of the time we've been given with children in our homes. May we capitalize on moments in each day with each child to share God's character with them. May we stop for the one and stay home enough to have time for the small yet important things like baking and stories and puzzles and prayers, quarrels and tears and forgiveness and depth, laughter and music and dancing and play. May we moms and dads see parenting as our mission field, worthy of our devotion and God's usefulness of time.
May we give our children respect as young people and listen to their hearts as we speak wisdom into theirs.
May our relationships with our offspring glorify God most of all!
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control."
Galatians 5:22-23
Oh, that fathers would long to disciple their families and express compassion like their Father God!
"As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him."
Psalm 103:13
Psalm 103:13
"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger,
but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."
Ephesians 6:4
Oh, that we mothers would be gentle nurturers with honest desire to embrace our children the way God offers Himself to us!
"For thus says the Lord:
'Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river,
and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream;
and you shall nurse, you shall be carried upon her hip,
and bounced upon her knees.
As one whom his mother comforts,
so I will comfort you;
you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice;
your bones shall flourish like the grass;
and the hand of the Lord shall be known to his servants.'"
Isaiah 66:12-14
'Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river,
and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream;
and you shall nurse, you shall be carried upon her hip,
and bounced upon her knees.
As one whom his mother comforts,
so I will comfort you;
you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice;
your bones shall flourish like the grass;
and the hand of the Lord shall be known to his servants.'"
Isaiah 66:12-14
What a blessing even the challenges of parenting are when we see them through God's eyes, when we see little ones the way Jesus sees them, when we saturate in the lessons and relational privilege of parenthood. What a joy to share life with family, to have the opportunity to pour into malleable little lives. What a challenge to daily take up the cross of servant-hearted love, the kind that lays itself down for others and offers a soft place to land. What a calling to be a mom or a dad.
Indeed, children are a blessing!
"Unless the Lord builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the watchman stays awake in vain.
It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives to his beloved sleep.
those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the watchman stays awake in vain.
It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives to his beloved sleep.
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the children of one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
when he speaks with his enemies in the gate."
the fruit of the womb a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the children of one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
when he speaks with his enemies in the gate."
Psalm 127
[Follow THIS LINK to watch/listen to a sermon by David Platt entitled, The Cross and Christian Womanhood.
It was a great encouragement to my mom-heart this week and prayerfully will be to others as well.]
"Her children rise up and call her blessed."
Proverbs 31:28
