Me and my babies.
Me and my babies.

“Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her” Proverbs 31:28 (NIV).

I say this often, but raising children is hard work. It’s not for the faint of heart. Raising children alone is even harder. It is especially hard as children grow and develop their own personalities and habits. Some of which can be quite annoying and challenging. My daughter is extremely sassy and strong willed. She definitely marches to the beat of her own drum. She’s only two years old, but I’m already seeking advice from my mom and stepmom about how to effectively discipline her. Some days, it’s like she’s two going on 21.

However, there are those days when my little lady is an absolute sweetheart and angel. In the last couple of months or so, almost every day, my daughter throws her arms around my neck, kisses me and says, “Thank you so much Mommy.” Most of the time, she does this after I get her dressed in the morning or while I’m sitting on the couch in the afternoon. She’ll hop on the couch, crawl over to me and say, “Thank you so much Mommy.” Almost every time, I ask her, “For what?” and I give her a kiss. I know she’s not going to answer me, but I like to see if she’ll try to give me a response. Usually, she doesn’t respond. She just goes back to playing with her toys or reading her books. However, as simple as her gesture is, I know it comes from a deeper spiritual place, one of which she doesn’t even understand yet.

I know her encouraging words are initiated by the Holy Spirit because many days, I grow weary. I’m tired, and I’m tapped out. My daughter’s sentiments give me the strength I need to keep going because I know that deep down in her spirit and in her heart beyond her understanding she is really saying, “Thank you mommy for being strong. Thank you mommy for making a home for us. Thank you mommy for trusting God. Thank you mommy for pressing forward. Thank you mommy for taking care of us. Thank you mommy for not giving up.” Her words come from a much deeper place, and I hope one day, she’ll be able to truly express why she’s so thankful for mommy. I pray that when she is an adult, she’ll see all I’ve had to endure to provide and take of her and her brother and will rise up and call me blessed as the Bible says in Proverbs 31:28.

We just celebrated Mothers’ Day, and I know I’m not the only mom who grows weary every now and then. However, please know that your children are grateful for everything you do. They may not know how to express or articulate their gratefulness, but their spirits are able to testify about their wonderful mommy. Psalm 8:2 says, “Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger” (NIV). Their praise has been orchestrated by God, and it’s powerful. It’s powerful enough to stir a weary mom’s spirit enough so she can get off the couch after a long day and cook dinner! It’s powerful enough to help you keep running this race called life.

So, keep moving forward. Keep holding on. Keep pressing towards the mark. Your work as a parent is not in vain. You can do it! Your little ones are counting on you.

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