As Paul and I are attending a conference for the leaders of our mission, One Collective, (formerly International Teams) this week, I thought you might like to read a short testimony I shared at another missions’ conference way back in 1991.

The Young Mother and a Faithful God

                Sometimes I wonder, perhaps like many young mothers today, how God can use me for His glory during these years of raising little children.  I had greatly enjoyed serving the Lord with International Teams in France as a single woman back in 1983-1985.  My work challenged and fulfilled me.  But I knew, when I returned to the mission field two years ago as a wife and mom, that my role would change a lot.  I was right.  With a three-year-old and a baby, my ministry outside the home is much more limited.  Yet I have found God to be faithful, as always, in this different season of my life.

Creative Quiet Times

                He’s been faithful to help me find creative ways to spend time with Him.  After my second son, Christopher, was born, I felt God’s freedom from guilt as day upon day went by while my Bible gathered dust on my bedside table, hidden under a stack of unanswered thank-you notes and a mile long “to do” list.

                One day while I was nursing Christopher on our bed and trying to keep my eyes open, I glanced up at a poster that hung on the wall in front of me.  Pictured in the center of the poster are children running, laughing, and playing.  All around that drawing are Bible verses.  I’d looked at the poster a thousand times before, but that day the words jumped out at me. I started reading the verses.  They were like water to my thirsty soul:

                “The Lord is my shepherd; Your Word is a lamp to guide me.  Praise the Lord, all the living creatures.  Never forget that the Lord is God.  Children are a gift from God, a real blessing.”

                I paused then and there to thank the Lord for what I now call “the witness of my walls”.  This phrase refers to the Bible verses that hang as framed cross stitch and posters on the walls of my home.  Those verses, as well as the many I’ve memorized over the years, lift my spirit and invite me into fellowship with Jesus as I pick up a stray toy, calm a temper tantrum and prepare a meal.

                I remember years ago hearing a godly, older woman exhort us as young single women to store up the Word of God in our hearts so that we would have verses embedded in our memory during that period of mothering young children.  This woman also said that God gives special grace to moms in those years.  I have found this to be true.  God is faithful.

My kids, My teachers 

                He’s also been faithful to teach me about Himself, my Father, through my kids.  First of all, I love my children.  That love springs from my innermost being.  It is intense, unconditional, full of joy for my boys.  This reminds me that God’s love is even stronger and purer for His kids–and I’m one of them.  I’ve always known this, but now, because of my children, I understand it better.

                Secondly, my kids love me, their Mommy.  Their love is innocent, pure, joyful, trusting, expectant–rarely guilt-ridden or fearful.  Do I approach my heavenly Daddy with this same kind of child-like love?

Modeling Jesus 

                Another way in which God has been faithful is to give me ministry opportunities.  My first ministry is to my kids.  The Spirit reminds me everyday to enjoy them while they are here with me in this oh-too-short season of life.  During the first four or five months of Christopher’s life, I was pretty much a walking zombie.  My prayer times were most often during a three a.m. feeding.  One day, Andrew, my three-year-old, was talking to me and said, out of the blue, “Daddy prays, but Mommy doesn’t pray to Jesus.”  My first response was shock.  Then I laughed.  He’d said it so innocently. He reported what he saw.  Yes, I prayed.  But I realized that he wasn’t seeing me pray.  Talk about conviction.  Imagine a missionary whose son tells everyone that she doesn’t pray!  Now, often throughout the day, we stop and pray about a fear, frustration or for hurting people around us.  It is my responsibility to model Jesus to my children.

Motherhood, a Privilege

                I’m also responsible to model Jesus to mothers around me who don’t know Him.  Western society continues to de-valuate the role of mothers.  We’re getting a bum wrap.  As Christians, we want to show other moms what a great privilege and responsibility we have to be raising children.  Our natural tendency is to compare with each other.  I battle this daily, asking God to give me the courage to do and be what He has called me to without comparing myself to other moms and what they are doing.  My self-esteem must come from Him.  We moms need to build each other up and remind each other of the great value that God places on motherhood. 

A Ministry Mom

                God is also developing in me the ministry of hospitality.  It doesn’t always come easy for me.  I’m the type of person who would rather have a deep, one-on-one conversation than prepare a meal for lots of people.  But in this season of life, long talks are out, and fixing meals is definitely “in”. 

                I often feel like there is a revolving door on my apartment and that I run a hotel, restaurant, counseling center and Bible college.  But God keeps reminding me of two things I learned while in training at International Teams:  cultivate a sense of humor and be flexible.  So I’m learning to let others in on our hectic schedules.  I’m finding that the French don’t care so much about four-course meals as a listening ear, knowing someone is there.  They are not only hungry for fancy cuisine but also for friendships.

Growing through our Gifts

                Finally, the Lord is allowing me to explore and develop my spiritual gifts and passions while being a young mother.  One of those is evangelism.  I find that my kids are natural door openers.  People will stop to admire a baby or chat with a toddler.  They don’t feel threatened.  Then when I open my mouth, that little accent that I wish I didn’t have makes people ask, “Why are you here?”  Now if it’s been a really bad day, I feel like saying, “I have no idea!”  But usually, I see these questions as a golden opportunity to talk about my faith in Jesus with others.

                I also love creative writing.  Many a day when I’m at the end of my rope with tears welling up in my eyes, I’ll think about the humor in everything that is happening and say to myself, “This will make a great story.”  Then I try to look at my situation from God’s perspective and apply biblical principles to my daily concerns. 

                I’ll admit that these past few years as a missionary and mother have been some of the most challenging of my life.  But God has been faithful to keep molding and teaching me in new and unexpected ways.  As each of us continues to give Him our dreams, passions, and gifts, no matter what our season of life, we will find that He is always faithful.  “Faithful is He who calls you, and He will also bring it to pass.”  I Thessalonians 5:24

ELIZABETH MUSSER writes ‘entertainment with a soul’ from her writing chalet—tool shed—outside Lyon, France. Find more about Elizabeth’s novels at www.elizabethmusser.com and on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and her blog.