A Purpose Driven Mother Series

At a recent women's conference, the main speaker made a request. She opened by saying, “The Bible teaches us to love our husbands.” Then she asked, “How long has it been since you told your husband that you loved him?” The women sat in silence. Then she asked every wife to take out their cellphones. “Text your husband, by tell them, ‘I love you.’” Then she told them to exchange phones and read their replies to each other. Pandemonium broke out! Here were some of the best replies:

1. I think you sent this to the wrong number.

2. Your mother is coming to stay with us, isn’t she?

3. Yeah and I love you too. What's wrong?

4. I thought we agreed you wouldn't drink during the day.

5. What now? Did you wreck the car again?

6. Honey, are you sick or what?

7. Don't beat around the bush; just tell me how much money you want!

Don’t be like that guy, men.

More seriously…

For many of you ladies, it was the black and white image moving silently on a sonogram that truly confirmed the news – “I am a mother.” From that point on, you have been on a roller coaster. The gravity of your position descended upon you. Many days are joy-filled days where you embrace the responsibilities and the pleasures of motherhood. Other days can be described more as duty where the grind of your responsibilities weighs on you. Now, a mother feels daily pressure for so many reasons. You work to help provide an income for your family, and then you feel guilty when you aren’t there at home. Or you’re a single Mom and there’s no one in the batter’s box to pinch-hit for you when you grow tired. Did you know: 44% of children are raised by a single parent within 1 mile of our church.

Single parents and single moms, this is a message for you. In the moments to come, I want to connect your lives to the very purpose God has for you. I want to fill your every moment with the very reason God made a deliberated decision to give you oxygen. Here is the reason you’re on this earth. This is a message for everyone – every, single person that has blood running through their veins. You don’t have to be a mother to find your purpose in life.

1. A Purpose Driven Mother

Mom, you have a purpose: “Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power” (Ephesians 3:7). Not every piece of Paul’s life can be applied to us normal believers but this part certainly can be.

1.1 You are a Minister

Mom, you were made for a purpose, you were created to be a minister. I don’t mean clergy. No, I mean a minister. I don’t mean someone who wears their collar backward. Not at all. Instead, the Bible says you were made for ministry.

In the midst of the tyranny of everyday life, many moms struggle with identifying their purpose. The Bible calls on you – on all of us really – to be a minister. Behind the English word “minister” in verse 7 is the Greek word “diakonos” which also means “servant.” We get our word “deacon” from this word. It is a common word for someone who serves. Mom, you are a minister; you are a servant.

Now, there’s tremendous dignity to that role, even if it doesn’t feel like it.

1.2 Six Letters and Starts with M

A teacher gave her class of second graders a lesson on the magnet and what magnets do. The teacher spoke to her beautiful little second graders about how the word magnet had 6 letters and began with the letter “M.” The next day in a written test, she included this question to see if they were listening: “My full name has six letters. The first letter is M. Hint: I pick up things. What am I?” When the test papers were turned in, the teacher was astonished to find that almost 50 percent of the students answered the question with the word “Mother.”

This is a window into the frustrating world of a mother!

1.3 Second Graders and Mom

A group of second graders was asked what they thought about their mother. They were asked various questions about moms and their answers are fascinating.

What Ingredients Are Mothers Made Of?

God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.

What Kind Of A Little Girl Was Your Mother?

I don’t know, because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy, but they did say she used to be nice.