Mother’s Day is coming up this weekend. Everyone can celebrate this special day because everyone has a mother. Some women look forward to this day as their family celebrate her. Others will be celebrating this special day in recognition of their mother – especially if she is still with them.

I still think very fondly of my mother on this day and often give in to special memories of her influence in my life. My Mother was a grand lady who always offered hospitality to others – even if they ‘dropped in’ at meal time at the last minute! Hah! She was the first to teach me that if I wanted to join the church, then I was expected – she expected me – to pay tithes. That lesson of giving was embedded in my heart at a very young age. I have endeavored to pass these godly strengths on to my children and grandchildren.

We’ve all heard teachings on mothers in the Bible such as: Eve, the first mother of mankind; Hannah, the mother of Samuel, a prophet and judge, Mary, the mother of Jesus, the Savior of mankind, Eunice, the mother of Timothy, a preacher, and his grandmother, Lois. These are but a few who shaped the lives of their offspring to fulfill their calling, purpose, and plan God had for them for great influence of the love of God – even for future generations.

Many mothers in the Bible were in the ‘background’ of society, some are not even mentioned by name in the Bible, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t influence their children to follow God, or didn’t influence the children in the neighborhood to have a desire to know God and seek to fulfill His plan for their lives. Whether or not we are seen, or known by our name, we are influencing others around us; our families, our friends, our neighbors, the supermarket workers, everyone around us.

Let’s make sure that the influence we are setting for others to follow are the very attributes of God. God is love. God is patience and kind. God is faithful. God is forgiving. As mothers, and women of God, we have unique opportunities to share our faith in the truth that God is love and wants the best for His creation. Celebrate the mothers in your life.