Guest blogger Blythe Daniel emphasizes the transformative power of scripture and prayer in healing and nurturing relationships, particularly with mothers.
Mother’s Day has always been a little tricky growing up with a mom who didn’t receive a lot of love from her mom. Mom found it difficult to go through all the flowery cards at the card store and come away with something that felt true to her relationship with her mom.
Over the years, I watched my mom pour into my brother and I, not to make up for what she didn’t have with her mom, but to give us the words we needed to hear as her children.
Have you thought about how God speaks words over you that you need to hear?
He calls you his. He redeems our lives even when they haven’t been what we expected or hoped our lives would be. ‘“But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”’ Isaiah 41:1 (NIV)
Maybe you didn’t have a loving mom or your mom hasn’t said loving words over you that you have been able to recall even into your adult life. Can we say that sometimes we don’t get the affirming words we need from our mom, but we do get them from God. God literally knows your name and mine. And He has called us to know our place with Him.
It doesn’t make our relational pain any less hurtful, but we can come to a place where we are able to pass on words to our mom that God gives us the ability to do through the way He speaks to us. Scripture is full of His words that show how much He loves us, even sacrificing his Son to show us how important we are to Him.
Healing Through Scripture and Affirmation
Even though my grandmother didn’t share many loving words with my mom, mom shared scriptures with my grandmother and simple words to affirm 
her. When you can give God’s words from the Bible and qualities you see in your mom (even though there may be less desirable qualities as well), it touches a mom’s heart in a way you might not expect. It can start to break the ice between you, or bring back the affirmation or appreciation your mom is looking for but hasn’t been able to express to you that she’s lacking.
My mom was taking classes to get her counseling degree while her mom was still living. God showed my mom much about her relationship with her mom and her relationship with Him. And she saw how powerful words are. In fact, she has taught me the gift of words my whole life, from her prayers, to her honest conversations with me. Knowing inviting words to say, not harsh ones, is one of the ways I have learned and grown as a mom with my children.
Mom and I believe in the power of words so much that we want to give you the opportunity to share the words and sentiments that we have in I Love You, Mom! as a gift for your Mom. There are scriptures, word pictures, and stories that will encourage a mother’s heart, and it doesn’t all have to come from you. God has so much to affirm moms through His Word, and we can allow Him to work in her heart just as we allow Him to work in our heart.
A prayer that you can pray over your Mom could sound like this:
God, you know how I have felt about my relationship with Mom and the words that we haven’t said to each other. You know the words we’ve tried to say but somehow they were misunderstood or were caught in between our breath and never left our lips. God, would you redeem and restore my heart with my mom? Just like you said in Isaiah 41:1, you have redeemed me, and I’m so thankful that you offer this kind of deep love to me. You know me better than anyone, and you know Mom and her thoughts as well. Will you help me to be able to share words with her that will help our relationship? God, I love you, and I ask you to help me love my mom the way that you have made possible through Jesus Christ. In His name I pray, Amen.
This Mother’s Day, let’s embrace the journey of love, drawing strength from God’s unwavering affection and the power of affirming words. Together, may we nurture bonds of love that transcend expectations and bring healing to our hearts.
About Blythe Daniel:
Blythe Daniel is a literary agent and marketer with over 20 years of publishing experience. She speaks at writer’s conferences and appears on podcasts and other interviews. Blythe and her mother, Dr. Helen McIntosh, co-authored Mended: Restoring the Hearts of Mothers and Daughters, and I Love You, Mom! Cherished Word Gifts From My Heart to Yours. She and her daughter Calyn co-authored Let’s Be Friends: A Tween Devotional on Finding and Keeping Strong Friendships. Blythe lives in Colorado with her husband and three teenagers.
Follow Raising Christian Kids On:
