Today is link up day over at the GMG where we continue to study Sally Clarkson’s book, The Ministry of Motherhood. This week we’re studying the gift of Inspiration.
Yesterday, I attended my daughter’s Graduation Mass at her school. The graduates were addressed by many people and each one had something inspirational to say to these young men and women about to embark on a voyage that will take them into an unknown future.
Father Gregory quoted from the First Reading of the Liturgy of the Word (the part in the Mass where we do readings from the bible, both old and new testament)
2 Corinthians 8:7 “You always have the most of everything – of faith, of eloquence, of understanding, of keenness for any cause and the biggest share of our affection, so we expect you to put the most into this work of mercy too”.
In other words, he told them, “to whom much is given, much is expected” and they, having graduated from one of the top schools in the country, are expected to go out into the world and transform it, not just by their chosen profession, but by taking their faith and the values and drive for excellence they have been taught into the places they go.
Those were his exact words and as he said them I understood the connection between his words and what I’m studying in The Ministry of Motherhood. The gift of inspiring a sense of purpose in our children.
This is our mission as mothers… to raise our children for His glory and to show them that their lives have a purpose… that they are to serve and glorify Him with all that He has given to them.
The hungering and endless quest some people are on, filling their lives with so much that is empty and meaningless is to fill that same void. They are not fulfilling the purpose for which God has created them so they continue to seek but they cannot find it.
Recently we had to help our third daughter choose the subjects she would like to study for her final examinations in two years’ time. These choices will affect her future, whatever she has certification on will determine what career path she could choose later on.
For the first time a mother, I offered this up in prayer. For weeks my husband and I prayed for God to give her direction. As we prayed, we asked God to reveal her heart to us, to reveal to her His will. She had begun to have pre-conceived notions of what subjects she DIDN’T want to study. She had put up her own negative blocks against them for various reasons, the teacher, the difficulty, the expense. We prayed for God to remove these pre-conceived ideas.
When the time came she was clear in her heart and mind and so are we. This daughter is an artistic soul. As Sally describes her own self in these words “an introverted dreamer type of personality”, I see my own daughter.
She is a dreamer. She holds things very close to her heart and I am forever grateful that I have the example of how Sally dealt with her own “dreamer” son. She stole quiet moments with him to give him the opportunity to reveal his heart to her. Yes, it is true that my daughter opens up more when we are alone. What does the Lord have in store for her future? As we continue to pray for her, I know it will be revealed in His timing.
My first-born is a writer, but she also has a love and affinity for nature and preserving the environment. This has led her to study Environmental Science at college. I pray that she will one day use these talents to glorify God.
My second-born is so gifted. She has a gift for people, she's talented in music, but she also wants to study pastry arts, her creativity comes alive in the creation of beautiful cakes. Once upon a time she used to play the guitar in church services. How happy I was that she played for her graduation last night. Perhaps God will once again turn her into that direction. Perhaps He has ministry in mind for her. Prayer for direction for her is vital at this stage.
The four year old is still young but she brings joy to everyone she meets. She is vivacious and imaginative. Who knows what God has planned for her? I continue to pray for His will to be accomplished in her life.
God has truly blessed my children with talent and I thank Him for the direction He has turned their lives thus far. I realize though, through this book study, that I need to show these children of mine that their gifts and talents are for His glory and they need to continuously turn to Him to discover where He wishes them to go and how He desires them to use these talents.
It is extremely difficult for teenagers living in a secular world to understand that, while we live in this world, our eyes must forever be on the one to come. In a world where making money, being successful, parties and popularity rule, I face a constant battle of trying to keep the balance going. God MUST come first!
As Sally says in Chapter 6, “To fulfill God’s design for their lives, our precious children must at some point determine to give Jesus allegiance in every aspect of their lives. There is a cost to discipleship and that cost is everything!”
There is a cost to discipleship and that cost is everything! How true these words! My mission as their mother, is to pray for them and to show them by example, that they must indeed surrender to Him for His will to be accomplished in their lives. There is no peace until we are fulfilling His will. Its an ongoing battle and one in which I know I must let Him finish the fight.
God is also holding our children's hands until they are steady on their feet. We need to trust that as they begin to run through life, He will be the one to watch over them and guide their steps, making them secure.
May the God who sees and knows all direct our steps as we continue to seek to fulfill our missions as mothers, seeking to encourage our children with the gift of inspiration.
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