This sharing is an adaptation of Kim’s teaching on Mother’s Day 2026
I want you to imagine a quiet kitchen early in the morning. The sun hasn’t yet risen, but a mother is already awake—packing lunches, whispering prayers over her children, and preparing for a day that will demand every ounce of her strength. She doesn’t do it for applause. She doesn’t do it for recognition. She does it because love has taken root so deeply in her heart that it overflows into every action.
I grew up in the 60’s with such wonderful examples of loving mothers who showed how to care for their families, such as Harriet Nelson/ June Cleaver/ Leave It to Beaver/ Margaret Anderson, Father Knows Best. Today, we gather not just to say “Happy Mother’s Day,” but to honor the sacred calling of motherhood—a calling that shapes lives, families, and even nations.
“Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.” — Proverbs 31:28
This verse is not just a poetic tribute—it’s a spiritual truth. God designed mothers to be life-givers, nurturers, and faith-shapers.
Let’s look at three pillars of a godly mother’s influence.
1. A Mother’s Faith Plants Seeds That Outlive Her
Example: Think of Hannah in 1 Samuel, who prayed for Samuel and then dedicated him to the Lord. Her faith didn’t just bless her son—it blessed an entire nation.
I Samuel 1:9-28 9 So after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the temple of the LORD. 10In her bitter distress, Hannah prayed to the LORD and wept with many tears. 11And she made a vow, pleading, “O LORD of Hosts, if only You will look upon the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, not forgetting Your maidservant but giving her a son, then I will dedicate him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall ever come over his head.” 12As Hannah kept on praying before the LORD, Eli watched her mouth. 13Hannah was praying in her heart, and though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought she was drunk 14and said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Put away your wine!” 15“No, my lord,” Hannah replied. “I am a woman oppressed in spirit. I have not had any wine or strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the LORD. 16Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; for all this time I have been praying out of the depth of my anguish and grief.” 17“Go in peace,” Eli replied, “and may the God of Israel grant the petition you have asked of Him.” 18“May your maidservant find favor with you,” said Hannah. Then she went on her way, and she began eating again, and her face was no longer downcast. The Birth of Samuel 19The next morning Elkanah and Hannah got up early to bow in worship before the LORD, and then returned home to Ramah. And Elkanah had relations with his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her. 20So in the course of time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the LORD.” 21Then Elkanah and all his house went up to make the annual sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfill his vow, 22but Hannah did not go. “After the boy is weaned,” she said to her husband, “I will take him to appear before the LORD and to stay there permanently.” 24Once she had weaned him, Hannah took the boy with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine. Though the boy was still young, she brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh. 25And when they had slaughtered the bull, they brought the boy to Eli. 26“Please, my lord,” said Hannah, “as surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD. 27I prayed for this boy, and since the LORD has granted me what I asked of Him, 28I now dedicate the boy to the LORD. For as long as he lives, he is dedicated to the LORD.”
The Birth of Samuel
Modern reflection: Many of us are here today because a mother or grandmother prayed for us when we were far from God. Those prayers may have been whispered in the quiet of the night, but they reached the throne of God.
Mothers, your prayers are not wasted. Even when you don’t see immediate results, you are planting seeds that God will water in His time.
2. A Mother’s Words Shape Identity
Example: Timothy’s faith was nurtured by his mother Eunice and grandmother Lois (2 Timothy 1:5). Their words and example gave him spiritual confidence.
2 Timothy 1:5-7 (The Message) 5 - 7That precious memory triggers another: your honest faith—and what a rich faith it is, handed down from your grandmother Lois to your mother Eunice, and now to you! And the special gift of ministry you received when I laid hands on you and prayed—keep that ablaze! God doesn’t want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible.
Proverbs 1:8 says, “Do not forsake the law of your mother.”
A mother imparts values, discipline, and faith. Timothy’s faith was passed down from his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice (2 Timothy 1:5). Mothers are not merely caregivers but spiritual shepherds.
Proverbs 31:26 says, “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness.”
Nurturing includes correction, but it is always laced with love and grace. The mother shapes her children’s worldview, character, and relationship with God.
In a world that constantly tries to define our children by their achievements, failures, or appearance, a mother’s voice can be the anchor that reminds them of their true identity in Christ.
Speak life over your children. In a world that tries to define them by achievements or failures, remind them who they are in Christ.
3. A Mother’s Love Reflects God’s Heart
Example: The prophet Isaiah compares God’s love to that of a mother: “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you” (Isaiah 66:13).
Isaiah 66:13 ( New King James Version) As one whom his mother comforts, So I will comfort you;
A mother’s love is often sacrificial, patient, and enduring. It mirrors the love of God, who NEVER gives up on His children.
Your tenderness, patience, and sacrifice are living sermons of God’s compassion.
Mother’s Day can be joyful for some and painful for others—those who have lost mothers, those who long to be mothers, and those whose relationships are strained. Today, we honor all women who nurture, mentor, and pour into others. Spiritual motherhood is just as powerful as biological motherhood.
I’d like to leave you with this:
For Mothers: Keep sowing seeds of faith, even when you feel unseen. Heaven sees you.
For Children: Rise up and bless your mothers—not just with words today, but with lives that reflect the values they’ve instilled.
For the Church: Support and uplift the mothers among us. Their work is kingdom work.
“May the Lord strengthen every mother here today. May He refresh your spirit, renew your joy, and remind you that your labor in the Lord is Never in vain.”