To the mommas on Mother's Day

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This month we are featuring Ellen Martin's book A Life Shared as a part of our featured Mother's Day titles. Mrs. Martin kindly offered this excerpt of her book, reformatted as a personal note from her to you as a mom. Oh, you're not a mom? That's okay! Go ahead and send this to a mom who would be encouraged by these thoughts.

To the mommas on Mother’s Day.

I see you and how much you long to give those who call you mom.

There are those moments when all is social media perfect for a moment. Then there’s the rest of life. The moments when you don’t know what you’re doing. When you don’t know if what you do makes a difference. When you see all your failures, feel every disappointment, and wonder when your days won’t be so long. You might be in your 20s with littles or 60s with adult kids.

I’m nearly 47 with five kids from high school to elementary. Even on the hardest days, I have a vision and mission that keep me. I want my kids to banter about who the favorite was after they bury me. I want them to say I empowered, equipped, and encouraged them throughout their lives. I want to be the mom living life that gives life to my kids. One practice makes this possible, conversation.

Conversation with God, other parents, and each one of my kids.

Conversation with God keeps me. My prayer life shapes my vision and mission as a momma. Jesus said He came to give us life, the fullness of life. Not a small serving or just enough. God met Adam and Eve in the garden. God longs to meet with each one of us. The Father sent His Son, Jesus, to be with us. Now we have the Holy Spirit. He empowers, equips, and encourages us. He meets us right where we are. He grows us from one level of glory to the next as we live in Him and all He has for us. He is life that gives life to us. He shares Himself with us. As a mother, my conversation with God keeps me.

Conversations with other parents support me. I talk with dear friends, family, strangers, those I go to church with, and my clients as a life coach. I hear and see glimpses of their journey. Those ahead of me empower and equip me by example. Those with teenagers and elementary kids, encourage me as we parent together. The mom I sat with recently at a school social was a breath of fresh air to my momma heart. She has two children older than mine and two the same age. We giggled about the years with younger kids. I listened to hard roads she walked with the older ones. I thanked God she had one the same age as mine. I just got off the phone with a friend I’ve grown up with as a mother. She knows all my momma-fails. I know hers. We stay the course because we’re mommas until we take our last breath. We need each other as mommas. Conversations with other parents support me.

Conversations with my kids grow me. I listen to my kids and see life in ways I never saw before I became a mother. “Together as parents and children, we share life. The natural response for us to answer the questions our young children ask does more than we could ever imagine. Their innocent questions and our willing answers deepen our relationship. The conversations wind through the years as part of our relationship. As our kids grow older, the conversations change, and our relationships grow deeper. Deep relationships are rooted in conversation.” (A Life Shared, pg 17) Conversations with my kids grow me.

Meaningful conversations with our kids are possible for every momma. It’s never too early. It’s never too late. We can all live a life that gives life. We can be that momma, so start where you are. If you’ve already started, stay the course. Your labor is not in vain but growing a harvest beyond imagination.

From this mom of five, Happy Mother’s Day.