Experiencing Joy in the Ministry of Motherhood

"This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of Nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote
itself to making you happy." - George Bernard Shaw

Do you view your role as a Mother to be a “mighty one?” I do. I believe with all my heart that Motherhood is a Ministry, and that we have been called and equipped by God to raise up the next generation. I must admit, I didn’t always feel this way.

About a year and a half ago, I was really struggling with what I felt was a calling to homeschool my two beautiful girls. I knew that I loved being a mother, and that the more I thought about homeschooling, the more I fell in love with the idea, but I wondered if it was enough. I had just gotten done reading The Purpose Driven Life and I was trying to find what it was that I was uniquely shaped to do. In my mind, I somehow assumed the only way I could truly be used by God was within the church, so I looked into Youth Ministry. I found some great programs and it all sounded wonderful, but it truly was not where my heart was . . . My heart was with my family and with homeschooling.

I continued this internal struggle until last April when I attended a Walk to Emmaus retreat with my church. I didn’t know what to expect from the retreat, but I went into the weekend prayerfully, asking God to clearly show me what He wanted for my life. Why do I continue to be surprised when He answers above and beyond my expectations?!? Our God is so good! Imagine my shock when halfway into the weekend, we heard a talk by our Assistant Spiritual Director about her own struggle between her role as pastor for her church and her role as mother to her two beautiful girls! She shared that she knew God had called her into Ministry and that one day she would most likely return to her role as pastor, but that He had clearly spoken to her heart that right now, her Ministry was her children.

Immediately tears sprung to my eyes, as I knew this was my answer from God! What was I uniquely shaped for? Ministering to my family (we all know the saying that “Ministry starts at home!”) and following the God-given desire of my heart to homeschool my daughters!!

I dove into homeschooling with energy, excitement and enthusiasm after that weekend. That sealed it in my heart that my purpose was indeed a mighty one and I was following God’s path for me. I read everything I could about learning styles, approaches, curriculums, and support groups. We experimented with different things and found what worked for us (for now). Then the amazing opportunity to be a part of The Heart of the Matter community was presented and I began to fulfill another desire that has been on my heart since I was a child – writing! While I hope that my writing has inspired or encouraged some of you on your journey, I can say without a doubt that I have received far more blessings from this endeavor than I have given.

Last month, God revealed a new dimension to the plan He has for me. I attended a weekend seminar with my husband with the goal of figuring out our life’s mission – What was it that we were passionate about, and what did our unique past experiences equip us for? As I reflected on what I was passionate about, I thought about my kids, about their laughter and smiles, the wonderful memories of cuddling up on the sofa reading and dancing around the living room. Those warm and fuzzy thoughts also led me to remember the not so fuzzy moments filled with frustration, worry, exhaustion and comparison. I knew that my story wasn’t much different than many other homeschooling moms.

From the wonderful comments we get on this site, I know it is all too easy for us all to get bogged down in trying to get things right, getting the house clean, worrying about discipline and curriculum, that we can forget to breathe and ENJOY our children!! I realized that weekend that the mission God has placed on my heart is to encourage mothers, in particular homeschooling moms, to experience the true JOY in this wonderful Ministry of Motherhood!

So, what is JOY? Dictionary.com defines it as “the emotion of great delight of happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying;” and “a source or cause of keen pleasure or delight; something or someone greatly valued or appreciated.” WOW! If I could have my girls remember me for one thing, it would be that I valued and appreciated them, and that they were the source of my delight and happiness. Do you know that one translation of Proverbs 31:28 reads, “Her sons have risen up, and pronounce her happy?” What a gift to our children for them to be able to rise up and say the same about us!!

Over the next few posts, I will be examining this concept of joy in homeschooling. I have spoken with many moms about ways they make time in their day to enjoy their family, things that can take away that joy and peace, special traditions and rituals they have incorporated into their homeschool to help build family unity, and ways to balance the busyness of the day with the joyful moments. If you have any thoughts on these questions, we would LOVE to hear them in our comments section! With your permission, I may quote you while we explore this concept together. Until next time, I encourage you to ask yourself throughout the day, “Have I hugged my kids yet? Have they seen me laugh or be silly with them? What can I do today that will show them that they are greatly valued and appreciated?”