God's Purposes in Motherhoodનમૂનો

​1 Samuel 2:19
Each year, his mother made him a little robe and took it to him when she went up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice. (NIV)

INTENTIONALITY
The story of Hannah is really inspiring for us moms. Hannah was a woman who decided to take a stand. She didn't let the sadness of not having children define her future. Instead, she chose to cry out to God and trust in Him. When the Lord answered her prayer and she had her son, Samuel, she didn't hesitate to give the gift of motherhood back to Him. She dedicated her son to God's service, entrusting Samuel in Eli's care so he could teach the boy to be a priest. Samuel's early years were filled with his mother's love and care, but even after Hannah fulfilled her vow, she continued loving and caring for him. She chose to dedicate him to God, but also intentionally chose to stay present in Samuel's life.

Motherhood is comprised of countless choices, and they must be intentional. We moms need to consider what we want for our kids with every decision we make. Being present in their lives requires intention. I'm not talking about being with them all the time, but about giving them the gift of our dedication. We're present in our kids' lives when we dedicate ourselves to teaching them, to correcting them well, and to serving them. We don't act without thinking, following our sinful nature, but we seek God's wisdom and knowledge to better live out the purpose of motherhood.

There's dedication when we study how to provide quality sleep and nutrition for our kids, when we read a book on biblical discipline, when we watch a video on how to do a new hairstyle, or even when we create a game to play with them. These are all examples of what it means to be present.

Even when physically distant from Samuel, Hannah made a point of staying present in his life by weaving new tunics for him and visiting him every year. I can only imagine the joy Hannah felt as a mother when she was creating a new tunic to give to Samuel.

Our days are so busy. Even for us stay-at-home moms, household chores, taking care of our husbands, and our personal and ministry tasks often overwhelm us and can cause us to forget to be intentional with our presence. But every day, we have the opportunity to be intentionally dedicated to our kids. Don't feel guilty. Do what you can, often possible with just a little extra effort. I'm sure the Lord will pour even more grace into your heart!