Inspirational Thought of the Day:

God gave us momma’s advice to help us navigate life’s challenges.

Scriptures of the Day:

Proverbs 1:8-9

“Listen, my child, to the instruction from your father, and do not forsake the teaching from your mother. 9 For they will be like an elegant garland on your head, and like pendants around your neck.”

Proverbs 31:26

“She opens her mouth with wisdom, and loving instruction is on her tongue.”

My momma always told me . . . this phrase always provides a head’s up if anyone wants to have some faithful advice. When momma speaks up, people better listen . . . if they are wise, that is.

Moms have sometimes gotten a bad rap for spoiling fun, being the naysayer on their children’s plans. But where would the world be without Momma’s advice? In a heap of trouble.

This world has often relegated the role of a mom as being “less than”, but to me it has been the most significant role I have served in and the greatest calling of my life. When my children were young, I chose to stay home and raise them. I would never trade the years spent home educating and exploring together. As they grew up, the relationship changed and some come to me for advice more than others.

The Source of our Counsel

But I have also learned over the years that I need to seek God’s counsel before I can ever offer any to my children or anyone else. I also need to live out that counsel. Lessons to our children are “caught” a whole lot more than “taught”. When my children have observed me genuinely crying out to God for counsel, this has spoken volumes that I could never utter.

Jesus is the answer.

More than advice that solves problems in the here and now, pointing our children to the Savior will give them a compass for all of life. His advice is greater than mine and more than anything else I have taught them, I want them to know where their help comes from.

When to Speak.

Advice falls on deaf ears if it is not aptly spoken. Sometimes our kids just need us to listen and love them unconditionally – this paves the way for them to be open in the future when our advice will be needed.

When Advice Hurts.

The hardest thing as a mom is to have to share truth to your child when they are in sin and might not want to hear it. Sometimes it needs to be spoken in a manner to get their attention. (Hopefully, no wooden switches are a part of this discussion, lol), but our faithfulness to not just speak words that flatter, but also words of discipline – can help pave a smoother path for our children to walk on.

Advice is a prayer.

Sometimes momma’s advice is best offered up as a prayer. God has given us compassionate hearts to nurture. When we pray over our children, we are speaking God’s blessings and counsel into their lives.

Moms wear a lot of hats. We nurture, love, teach, guide, cook, clean and serve endlessly. Perhaps the most important task we can ever do for our children is to draw near to God so His faithful instruction and counsel are on our tongue. Even when children don’t want to listen, we are still called to be a clarion voice beckoning our children to come home to what really matters – knowing God.

I dedicate today’s blog to my momma. Her greatest advice she ever gave to was given in silence by changing my alarm clock to a Christian station (on the sly, I might add). It was on the third morning that I decided to give my life to Christ.

Lord, thank You for the gift of moms. I pray for all of the moms who read this post today. Help us to know that You have equipped us and will enable them to be women who impact our children for Your Kingdom. Season our speech that we may speak with truth and grace and help us to not grow weary in well doing – for in due time we will reap a harvest . . . if we do not give up!