I have had the great privilege of having a mother for 51 years and being one for 28 years. The older I get, the more I appreciate the most wonderful gift that God could have ever given me, my own mom. I see myself in her in many ways and in other ways, I'm nothing like her. I have made many mistakes in my life, ones that my mother would never have made, but she respected me as an individual and never tried to interfere. She knew she gave me a firm foundation on which to come back into. I can't say she wasn't heart broken at times for some of my decisions. But, she had faith in God and His promises. And this is what makes a godly mother.

She took me to church on Sundays and she made sure I had a proper upbringing. She taught me how to be secure in who I was, and made me aware of my own moral beliefs. I was fortunate to have a godly mother who introduced me to a loving God by showing me that same love, unconditionally. She passed down these attributes to me and by the time I had my children, they were also aware of the love I had for them, no matter what they may have done.

In looking back on my life, I have to admit that I turned from the right path and chose my own course for awhile, and God wasn't a very big part of it. It's a typical human reaction to retreat and hide from God when you know you're behaving badly. Once these circumstances catch up with you, God then becomes the main focus again and this is where He takes us into the woodshed and teaches us the lessons we thought we could do without! It goes to show that you can never hide from God, He'll find you every time and He will correct you.

"Train up a child in the way he should go (and in keeping with his individual gift or bent), and when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6 (Amplified)

When we are raised in God's Word, or have raised our own children that way, we must trust that everything will turn out for the good even when it seems like all is lost. It's not a matter of "If" but rather "When" things will turn around. Just like my own mother, she never lost hope that I would come back to Christ. I thank her for her prayers.

Once God's Word has entered into your life, you will never depart from it. Thank God He knows the disobedience of children and the rebellious condition of their hearts. He is always ready and waiting to forgive. And God gave mothers this unconditional love also.

There are several mothers mentioned in the Bible that set examples for us today. A godly mother is a rare commodity in today's society and she is more precious than gold. What makes a mother like this so special in God's eyes? Let's look at a few examples.

First there was Hannah. God had left her barren and as any normal woman, she had strong maternal instincts. She was one of two wives and her husband Elkanah's other wife, Peninnah, had no sympathy for Hannah's childless condition. Hannah laid her burden before God in prayer and promised Him that if He would allow her to conceive, she would give him back in lifetime service.

That's exactly what happened. God gave her a son called Samuel and he was raised by Eli the high priest. Hannah was a woman of her word and God blessed her and these blessings were handed down to Samuel as well. (Read 1 Sam. 1).

Another special mother was Eunice. There isn't much said about her, but Paul gave her credit when he wrote to her son Timothy (2 Tim.) Eunice raised Timothy in God's Word. This wasn't particularly easy for her since her husband was a Greek and did not believe in Jesus. There are many women today who have husbands that are non-believers but are raising their children to be godly people, and they are to be commended for their service to the Lord.

"But as for you, continue to hold to the things that you have learned and of which your are convinced, knowing from whom you have learned (them)." 2 Tim. 3:14 (Amplified)

Eunice didn't abandon her hope in raising Timothy to be a Christian. Eunice also had a godly mother named Lois who had a major part in Timothy's upbringing. They taught young Timothy the word of God from the moment he was old enough to understand it and for this, it stuck with him in his later years. Paul recognized the great importance of these two women in Timothy's life. Can you see yourself in any of these godly mothers?

As anyone knows, mothers are the major factor in molding us into the people we are and that in turn, we pass them onto our own children and grandchildren. Mothers have many roles in their life, just as God Himself. A mother is gentle, loving, fair, patient, encouraging but also must be a disciplinarian. A loving mother must always correct her child in order to make them a responsible person later on. Sometimes it doesn't make us very popular, but when all is said and done, we will forever be remembered on our special day. What our children may not see as a benefit today, will look back and thank us. Children are foolish, but since we are the adults, we have the wisdom and need to use it!

"Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him." Proverbs 22:15 (Amplified)

The best gift we as moms can give our children is discipline. It makes for a strong, secure and responsible adult. Face it, the world is a tough place to exist and has no patience for fools.

It was never my intention to give my two young sons everything they thought they wanted. I made them aware of the reality that was waiting for them. I wanted them to realize that they would appreciate things better if they had to work for them. Today both of them are earning their own way in the world and doing a great job of it at that.

It is my goal in life that when I reach the end of my days, I can look back not in regret, but rather that I have left a legacy of God's Word in my own childrens' lives and they in turn will hand this down to their children. That is the true meaning of being a godly mother and succeeding in the plan that God has laid out for each and every one of us.

When a mother has eyes of faith, she will see God at work in everything.

If this article has touched you, won't you please add a comment and give God the glory today?