I hear often, mostly at church, that we need to be ministering to others, especially those in need. And sometimes I feel guilty because I am not going out and actively serving in my community that often. I am not reaching out to neighbors, friends, church members all that frequently. And so I struggle to know if, and feel at peace with, my little efforts of ministering.
But I recently was reminded that I am deeply entrenched in the greatest work of ministering of all. Here's my thoughts on that vital work.
At no time in my life have I been more aware of the sacred nature of motherhood. Six weeks ago my youngest daughter was born. And since that time, I have been utterly exhausted. She was a huge surprise, a huge miracle, in fact. My husband and I have been married for 16 years and it was many years ago that we realized our family was going to be built a different way; we didn't think pregnancy was an option for us. Our other three children came to us through adoption.
So last year when the doctor told me, "You are pregnant," I was in complete shock.
Now we have four beautiful children. We thought we were a complete, finished family after my 4-year-old was born, and we forgot about all that goes into the newborn stage. So when our youngest was born, and we were thrown back into that world, it was a surprising wake up call. Diapers, constant feedings, loads of laundry, crying, and lots of baby holding are physically draining. Not to mention all the hormones which have been emotionally taxing.
I feel so tired!
During a walk one morning, I was pondering a little of the importance of motherhood, and also thinking about some things a friend had said recently, I came to a realization that motherhood is a sacred ministry. It is my calling from God. It is caring for all the needs of the precious souls He has sent to our home. It is taking care of the physical, emotional, social, intellectual, and spiritual necessities of their lives.
And what a daunting task it is! But it is of absolute vital importance. I think the world wants us mommy's to forget that motherhood is sacred. It is certainly not that appealing to be cleaning toilets, picking up toys, changing diapers, wiping spit up, and listening to whining. Reading books, running errands, reviewing homework, and putting on bandaids. But, in fact, all those tasks of motherhood build our children, and prepare them to become the people He envisions for them to be. Their missions in life are dependent on our faithfulness in this important ministry.
Christ told some of His disciples, "whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister...For even the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many (Mark 10: 43, 45).
So the next time I feel discouraged in my efforts of motherhood, the next time I feel like cleaning my house is not fulfilling my own divine destiny, or the next time anyone questions the impact I make as a mom, I can remember that I am doing exactly what Christ did: to care for those around me, one by one. And who better to care for than the very souls He has placed directly into our home?
Motherhood is ministry.
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