Book Review: The Ministry of Motherhood, Ch 13

Chapter 13 - Persistent Miracles a Model for Training

We've moved into part four of the book and are discussing the Gift of Training this week. Training leads us to share in God's holy character

"Growing in godliness and learning to apply wisdom in the context of daily life is a long-term process that requires instruction, practical application, and correction - sometimes a lot of correction! This process of training takes place in many different ways over a lifetime - from other people, from books, from the Lords' discipline." page 137

"We are our children's first source for learning what it means to live for God in this fallen world." page 137 I know many of these statements are convicting and challenging. It comes to mind that we can't have it both ways. If we want to say that motherhood is a mission, a calling, and a ministry - then we have to accept that what we do matters. That our actions and beliefs will have consequences. I appreciate Sally calling us over and over to examine what we are living before our children.

Sally begins the week by taking us on an overview of Jesus' training of his disciples. She focus' in this chapter on the miracles he preformed.

"So how does all this apply to motherhood? To me, it's a comforting reminder that any kind of training takes time, patience, and endurance." page 145.

"Even Jesus had to be patient with fully grown but spiritually immature men who seemed slow to respond to his training, so we must practice patience with our children - and ourselves. The very nature of training is that it usually involves immature individuals, which means it takes a long time to accomplish its goals. " page 146.

I couldn't help but think here that parenting is all the more complicated when you have immature parents training immature children. ::snort:: I shudder when I think back to the attitudes that I had about being a wife and mother at the start of our marriage. . . but God is faithful and has matured me through the roles he called me to. I think I'm better at mothering now than I was 22 years ago - though our oldest ones love me to pieces.

"But the Hebrews writer urged them on with a message that also applies to parents seeking to train their children: "Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised." (verses 35 - 36).

Oh ladies, I think we need to take this to heart. I also think that we need to look around and notice all the young moms who need Titus 2 type women to come alongside them. I spent years bemoaning the fact that no one would mentor me. One day God lovingly slapped me upside the head and told me to it wasn't all about me and that I should look around and see who may be craving my mentoring. ::snort:: Let's face it my generation hasn't done a great job of investing in their children, of valuing children. Our society as a whole wants "instant" solutions, "instant" happiness, and "instant" answers. Marriage, mothering - simply aren't like that. We need to encourage young women under our influence....that marriage can be HARD, mothering can be HARD and they need to endure. They need to press on. I can remember how amazed I was when I made a commitment to tell as many young wives as I could in my Bible Studies that marriage is hard in about year 2 - 4 and that this is not the time to think they need to divorce. So many had never been told that this is normal... they get their views of marriage from movies - many coming from one -parent homes.....and the same hold true of motherhood. I had many tell me that they figured it was time for a divorce and knowing that we had had a tough spot encouraged them.....and BTW we hit another rocky patch when my groom hit 41 - 43.....but you work through those things. I figure putting up with his slump was a small price to pay for having a godly man around who will put up with my upcoming menopause slump. ::snort:: Seriously, I'd not heard that many have that phase to work through in marriage....I would think that the empty nest would be another one of those patches...but I wouldn't really know for sure yet. I know menopause will be because my friends who are a few years older than I tell me it is. LOL

Wait - I digressed!
"We are to to be their consistent, loving persevering trainers, and this means we must persevere in hope, even when we don't seem to be going anywhere." page 147 - BTW this is talking about our children here not our husbands - I simply tip toed through the rabbit trail above. LOL

"This gift of training will serve them their whole lives as they walk faithfully and boldly in the footsteps of the One who fed the multitudes, calmed the seas....and managed to turn a group of bungling, immature men into true apostles." page 147