Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

EN(dur)ANCE by Robin Gudal

I recently witnessed baptisms at church with tears welling up in my eyes the emotions overspilling within my spirit.

As I observed, I had two thoughts: mine and Greggy’s a few years prior and a recent conversation I had with a young, single parenting momma.

She’s parenting her prematurely born, now eight-month son with the support and love of her dad, who I knew as a teenager and watched as he single-parented. He’s super-grandpa.

Her son has beautiful, huge brown eyes and is a very healthy. The purpose for our meeting was to discuss him being dedicated to Christ.

She knows the truth of Jesus. Sadly, hard things in life have interrupted and wounded her deeply, and she isn’t ready to have Jesus as number one in her life yet.

As we visited and she shared, I found myself being very proud of her. After being told she had “choices” at the discovery of a less-than-perfect pregnancy situation, she chose her son.

She understands the importance of her son being dedicated to Jesus. He is the love of her life, focus and purpose, and she is parenting well.

Isn’t that what Mother’s Day (and soon to be Father’s Day) is all about?

We are called to give up our own comfort and resources for our kids, to sacrifice for their wellbeing.

Jesus also did that, and yes, you are his kid, even if you are a 90-year-old reader. We are his children! He loves us unconditionally.

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” — 1 John 3:1a, NIV

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” — John 1:12, NIV.

Let us be people who pray; for those who aren’t at the sold out for Jesus (yet); that they come to know and accept His love, truth, forgiveness, and mercy and those who are totally surrendered and walking in victory; encouragement along their path of life.

As we approach this humbling holiday may we thank and encourage all the mommas that have given up so much.

“Like the sweet fragrance the flowers unfold, kind words will comfort the young and the old.” — Fanny Bolton, “Sunshine Thought,” a delightful book I recently found from 1913

P.S. Shirley you are amazing, and I am ever grateful for your love, support, prayers and friendship!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Robin (Beckman) Gudal is intentional in life, a wife, momma, nana, friend and a flawed and imperfect follower of Jesus.