"Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates” - Proverbs 31:31
For many, including myself, Mother's Day is fraught with a mixture of emotions. For some, it's a reminder of loss or what could have been. For others, it's a delight shared with the ones we love. For many, it's both. However, even in this bittersweet combination, I think it's good and right that we encourage one another to praise the mothers in our midst.
Whether this is our mothers, grandmothers, wives, or spiritual mothers in our church family, they are worthy of our thanks. We here at the bookstore want to honor those of you who are sharing yourselves, whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually, with others.
We want to share two ways that we can encourage the mothers in our lives on Mother's Day and all year round.
Pray For Her
The first way to encourage mothers is the first way we should encourage anyone: pray for them. It is the best thing we can do.
Here are some things you can pray for mothers this Mother's Day, adapted from 5 Things To Pray for Your Parents.
Pray that God will...
- Save her (John 3:16-21)
- Give her purpose (Prov. 90:12-17)
- Grant her wisdom (Prov. 2:1-10)
- Bless her relationships (Proverbs 27:17)
- Bring her joy (Psalm 16:8-17)
Pray that she will…
- Delight in God's word (Psalm 119:12-16)
- Love God and others (Mark 12:30-31)
- Not be anxious (Phil. 4:4-9)
- Be content (1 Tim. 6:6-12)
- Endure (Heb.12:1-12)
Readings for Encouragement
A second way you can encourage her is through a selection of readings from some of our favorite books on motherhood or encouragement for growing in Christlikeness.
We've collected 16 of our favorite chapters that help us reflect on and understand our work as mothers and God's workmanship. These readings are available to download for free. We pray they will be a comfort to you and the moms in your life. Please read, share, and be encouraged.
Download selected readings for encouragement (PDF)*
P.S. For the last-minute shopper, we offer digital gift cards that can be used on Westminster Kids and at WTS Books. They are a great gift for the book lovers in your life!
* With selections from:
God Does His Best Work With Empty
Flourish: How the Love of Christ Frees Us from Self-Focus
The Soul in Paraphrase: A Treasury of Classic Devotional Poems
Labor With Hope: Gospel Meditations on Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Motherhood
Created to Care: God's Truth for Anxious Moms
Like Our Father: How God Parents Us And Why That Matters For Our Parenting
Freedom to Flourish: The Rest God Offers in the Purpose He Gives You
Her-Story: 366 Devotions from 21 Centuries of the Christian Church
Devoted: Great Men and their Godly Moms
Aging with Grace: Flourishing in an Anti-Aging Culture
Beautifully Distinct: Conversations with Friends on Faith, Life, and Culture
You're Only Human: How Your Limits Reflect God's Design and Why That's Good News
Piercing Heaven: Prayers of the Puritans
God of All Things: Rediscovering the Sacred in an Everyday World
The Scars That Have Shaped Me: How God Meets Us in Suffering
