You Are Made for This: 14 Devotions to Uplift & Encourage Busy MomsSample

The Good Work

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. PROVERBS 22:6

Mama, you need to hear this: You are putting in the good work every day. Often, we can see each day as the same, day after day, but they all add up—just as the years just keep coming. The days can be hard, and exhaustion can set in, but raising the next generation is a lot of good work. Just as our parents had to learn to navigate new challenges, we do too. And as technology advances and society changes, there is a lot to handle, Mama. But throughout all time, the Bible has remained the same. Teaching our children that there is a loving God who has a wonderful plan and purpose for them is such a great reminder, especially when things don’t go as we hoped or expected.

Each family is different, but instilling love, care, and prayer into your kids and helping them to put God first, others second, and themselves third will grow them up into good humans who care about others and seek the Lord in all they do. You can start small—with prayers at bedtime or at the dinner table, thanking God for what you did that day and praying for others. Think of ways you can help your children learn more about God and Jesus, even in the small moments. Teach them to trust in His plans over their own, to follow Him all their days, and to put Him first—even when the days are long.

Made for This!

Let’s face it. Raising children is a lot of good, hard work, with lots of tears, laughter, joy, and sorrow. Through it all, let’s remain focused on God, on His plan for our kids’ lives, and on helping them to learn to fear and love the Lord. Let’s make sure they know He is always there for them and that His plans are so much greater than any we could imagine. Demonstrating your relationship with the Lord in front of your kids, and starting small, will only lead to great things in their lives.