Christian Moms Need More than Self-Help Books

by Sue Detweiler

If being a mom were as simple as doing the right task at the right time in the right way, you would have self-help books that would make you an expert. The hard thing about being a mom is that it is not so much about what you do, but it is more about who you are.

Maya Angelou’s famous quote applies to moms, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” This is true of how our children will look back at how we raised them.  If you and I are to be moms that truly connect with the heart of our child, we need to look at those wounded places in our own hearts that imprison us.

Raw Moments as a Mom

If you were to write about your most raw moment as a mom, what would you talk about? Most of the time we do not talk about our mistakes. We have learned if we keep these insecurities under lock and key, we will be more respected.  The problem is this lock and key also imprisons you and I to our flesh rather than granting us freedom in Christ.

Behind Bars

Unresolved issues can put us behind bars. A divorce, a miscarriage, abuse, addiction, disappointment are things that can imprison us in our past. Sometimes we shake the bars trying to get out, other times we just slump down in a chair giving up, believing the lie that we will never change.

How many times do we become trapped behind bars, unable to make progress: Ensnared in emotional jails, confined by financial struggles, or imprisoned in lifeless existence? Sadly, each of us have keys hanging around our necks, temporarily hidden from view, but available to each one.

The Key of Faith

The key of faith in God will unlock the hidden realities of heaven on earth. Jesus died for our sins, not so that we could be miserable until He came again, but so we could live the life of an overcomer. When you put faith in God, mountains move and prison doors unlock.

Martin Luther King Jr. said “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” Your faith is in God not in yourself. The key of faith will unlock future possibilities. In order for you to be the best mom in the world for your child. you must be a woman of faith.

The Key of Obedience

To obey God is to make Him the highest authority in our lives. Obedience is to completely follow His Word, His will, in His way. We chose to follow because of our love for Him. We surrender or own short-term preferences, for His eternal promises.

We are called to obey, right away, without delay. Mother Teresa said “Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.” It is in our daily walk of obeying God in the small places in our lives that we apply this key to be truly free.

When we put the keys of faith and obedience in the lock of our jail, the very bars that imprisoned us will become rails of a bridge of breakthrough. This bridge will carry us to a new place of freedom, but it will also help our children as they follow along the freedom path.

Teaching Our Children Faith and Obedience

The best way for you to teach your children about faith is to be faithful to God Himself, to His word, to His will, and to walk in His ways. The best way to teach your children obedience, is for you to have an obedient heart towards God.

Yes, what you say and what you do as a mom is important. But the most important thing is who you are.