STRONG FOUNDATION FOR MOTHERHOOD (1)
Dear Reader,
You are most welcome to another inspiring edition of family affairs. This month, I will be sharing with you the topic titled ‘Strong Foundation for Motherhood’. It is the will of God for you to go through the journey of motherhood knowing the right choices and right foundations to lay for yourself and for your children. I pray that as you open your heart to this teaching, God shall grant you all the wisdom you need to train up your children in the way of the Lord and you will not fail in your assignment as a mother, in Jesus name!
By way of introduction, a mother is someone who nurtures, cares, sees the deepest and the truest part of a child. She is ready at all times to train and inspire a child and groom him/her for greatness and success. Mothers are raisers of generations, this is because when a child is well raised, and the child does not only affect his /her immediate family but the world at large. Motherhood is an awesome privilege and I know as many who desire this journey, will go through it without stress, in Jesus name!
A building is only as good and strong as its foundation. No matter how wonderful or beautiful a building might look, if there is a fault at the foundation, with time, that building will collapse unannounced, and unceremoniously like a pack of cards.
As a mother, you are always on the lookout for how to meet the emotional, physical and spiritual needs of your children, be it biological or surrogate. You give up everything in order to see them grow to their fullest potential by encouraging them, and seeing that they grow closer to God.
Psalm 11:3 says, If the foundation be destroyed what can the righteous do? Nothing can adequately substitute the place of a solid foundation, in the quest for a strong building. Successful motherhood requires a sure, firm and solid foundation. Beautiful houses can be abandoned when the foundations are not solid. Motherhood can never be an exciting adventure without a sure and solid foundation. Therefore, to build a sure and firm foundation for motherhood, you must get acquainted with what you should do.
HOW TO BUILD A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR MOTHERHOOD
Study the Word Regularly
You cannot have an intimate relationship with someone that you do not know well. However, the Word of God explains who God is. John 1:1 says, In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. Spending time in the presence of God launches you to new dimensions of grace and uplifting. The Word is a builder; nonetheless, the Word will aid build the following aspects of your life as a mother:
- The Word Builds Faith
Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. When you spend time studying the Word as a mother, your faith emerges. The boldness to face any challenge and conquer cannot be underestimated if you want to strengthen your faith. You must have a regular diet of reading the Bible. I highly recommend a reading plan that will enable you to read through the Bible in a year. The Bible is full of instructions and commands for every area of our lives: relationships, money, sexuality, temptation, worry, anger and fear. However, the Bible (the Word) is the working manual for every mother because everything you need to build your faith is made available for you in it.
- The Word Builds Spiritual Fruits
The Word of God builds spiritual fruits. The more you study the Word, the more you grow spiritually. It is written, The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law (Galatians 5:22-23). As a mother, the workings of the spirit of God is very vital in your motherhood journey. This is the only assured way to go through the process purposefully and fulfilled. There is a continuous need for joy, love, peace, temperance, and longsuffering in this journey. Nevertheless, if your life is devoid of the evidence of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, it will be a difficult task for you to excel through your motherhood journey. The fruits of the Spirit in you flows to your children through your actions. Remember, children learn fast through what they see; so, when you act and do certain things, those children repeat verbatim all you do. However, if you want to raise godly children with godly character and manners, seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit and acquire His fruits. The fruits of the Holy Spirt takes away fear, anguish, depression, anger, wrath, permissiveness that comes with motherhood. When you lack the fruit of the Holy Spirit, there is every tendency of seeing motherhood as a journey filled with frustration; this will never be your portion, in Jesus name!
- The Word Builds Strength
Studying the Word of God helps us build spiritual strength as a mother. When you are down and faced with challenges associated with motherhood journey, you can draw strength from the Word of God. His Word comforts and strengthens. Just as food is to the body, so is the Word of God to every godly mother. You must eat to get strength and remain healthy. Therefore, to be a godly mother and enjoy your motherhood journey without running out of strength, you have to feed yourself with spiritual food which is the Word of God. The Bible says …Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4). God’s Word sustains, and it is a viable solid foundation to rely on. No matter what happens, every other thing on earth is bound to change and evolve but the Word of God does not, it still empowers and strengthen. God has made provisions for strength in His Word; however, this can only be accessed through constant Word study and meditation.
Pray Without Ceasing
A prayerless Christian is a powerless Christian. To pray means to communicate with God. You cannot invite someone you don’t talk to into the affairs of your home. In prayer, you talk to God and in turn He talks back to you. Therefore, when you cease to pray as a mother, the foundation of your home and the raising of your children is already faulty. The destiny of your family can only thrive on the altar of prayer. You can sustain the life of your children and your husband on the altar of prayer. You programme all you want to see and experience in your family through prayers. The altar of prayer grants you access to spiritual growth and stamina, without prayer you cannot advance in your spiritual walk with God. Therefore, if you want to build a solid foundation through your motherhood journey; prayer is the only access to that realm.
Develop a Personal Relationship with Jesus
Clearly, you need to establish a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This is the secret of success in any assignment, motherhood inclusive! Jesus says, …for without me ye can do nothing (John 15:5). Establish a personal connection with the Lord Jesus because your connection with Him puts you right back on track.
No matter who you are, your race, colour, culture, background or qualifications notwithstanding, you need to be saved. Also, as a mother you have a duty to ensure the salvation of your children. However, that connection must be kept in place all the time, never allow anything to separate you from Jesus Christ.
Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died in your place as a propitiation for your sins. That means, He took your place in death, dying on the cross in your place to connect you back to God. Then with your voice, you confess your sins and invite Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour. To make this decision, say this prayer of faith: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin, pride, arrogance and self-pity and all the lies of satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom, in Jesus name! Amen.
Congratulations! Now you have been empowered with grace to build a solid foundation throughout your motherhood journey here on earth; welcome to a hitch-free parenthood journey and experience, in Jesus name! Amen. Call or write to share your testimonies with me through oyedepofaitha@gmail.com, 07026385437 OR 08141320204.
More so, to be fully acquainted with taking God on your motherhood journey, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Understanding Motherhood, Making Marriage work, Success in Marriage (co-authored) and Raising Godly Children