When I answered the Lord's call to trust Him with my body, I had no idea that meant I would have multiple children. It was when I became pregnant with our seventh child that I realized I had a lot of children. Recently, we had our tenth child and there is no denying the magnitude of the task I have before me. Though the daily challenges are great, I face each day with a bit of confidence because I am not alone, "Nothing is impossible for God".
I understood along time ago that these are not my children, they belong to God. They may look like me or act like me or both, but they are truly made in the image of Christ, for His purpose and for His glory. I am a chosen vessel by which the children were born and through whom God uses to draw His children unto Him. With each challenge, incident or season I go to God and ask Him what he would have me to do. In and of myself I can not nurture and train even one of these precious gifts, but with His divine help, encouragement, grace and forgiveness I accept my calling with hope and confidence in Him.
My daily dynamics are great; with a twenty year old who has one foot in and one foot out the door and my youngest child being a five month , nursing infant who prefers me over anyone else, I am busy to say the least. I feel the need to lead my teens on purpose with certain goals in mind as when they were little. When they were tots I took the time to teach them read, write, dress themselves etc. and now I find myself taking the time, some times even scheduling time to have meaningful conversations on topics of temptations, relationships and cares and concerns about the future.
Recently, I became weary as I watched one of our children consistently give in to the flesh. In frustration and helplessness I sought God for wisdom, patience and peace. God is faithful, for in my quiet time He reminded me whose child this is and that He has a plan for Him, "a plan to do him good not harm...". I choose to rest in this wisdom for each of our children and to nurture and encourage them faithfully and daily beseech the Lord on their behalf. I am grateful for this opportunity, for it is true, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." 3 John 4, KJV. Even as I walk with my children when they are stumbling I find joy in serving God as a mother because I am partnered with Him.
How do you get through the daily challenge of mothering more than one child?
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