celebratemoms – Chiara Talluto

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, I can’t help reflecting upon my role as a mother to my growing teenage daughters. Someone once told me that being a mom is not only difficult but it’s like living in the wild as a blooming sunflower surrounded by thorny bushes. Most days you getting pricked and prodded, other days you’re conquering the world and smiling from petal to petal.

Honestly, I’m grateful for being a mother. It wasn’t an easy journey to have my two daughters (God knows), and I know many women who are childless. The Bible tells us in Psalm 127:3 that children are a heritage from the Lord. They sure are! Nonetheless, there are trials and tribulations with parenting. Talk to a tired mom, she’ll give you an ear full.

This Hallmark holiday (because every day should be Mother’s Day), got me thinking about the mothers in the Bible. Not only were there cultural differences and challenges, but raising children thousands of years ago without the conveniences of today, such as medical, technical, and ease of transportation, and the challenges of living out their faith in God, while other religions with gods surrounded them. Wow, I can’t imagine.

I’ve had a fascination with women in the Bible for some time now. My curiosity was to learn more about their faith, role, and historical contributions, but I also wanted to dive deeper into some well-known and not-so-well-known moms. Learn about their tragedies and triumphs, and most importantly, their strong faith in God, so I can grow, cultivate, and nurture my calling as a mom. A “career” filled with worry, laughter, constant drama, and intense emotions where the pay is mediocre, but the “adventures” are never-ending (if you could call it that :).

So let’s take a look at a few Mothers in the Bible:

Eve. The first mom over all living things. Genesis 3:20. Yes, she sinned and sinned big time, eating the apple from The Tree of Life. Thus, starting the whole sin thing, and let’s not forget, allowing women to have pains during childbirth. Thanks, Eve. Regardless, she started the human race. Genesis 17, 18.
Sarah. Abraham’s wife. The mother to the Nation of Israel. God told Abraham he’d multiply his descendants more than all the stars in the sky. Sarah was very old when she conceived Isaac, in her 90s. Wow! Her loyalty and support to her husband and trust in God as they traveled from land to land, took patience. Did Sarah always have patience? She was human and did make a mistake by giving her maidservant, Hagar to her husband to bear a child because of her lack of patience, but in the end, God did bless her with Isaac. The promised one. Genesis 11:30, 21:1-21.
Hagar. The maidservant to Sarah. She was Egyptian and she conceived Ishmael for Abraham. He would turn out to be a wild man in the wilderness. She was not forgotten by God though, who took care of her because of her obedience to Sarah. Genesis 21:1-21.
Rebekah. Isaac’s wife. Barren, he prayed over her and her womb opened and she conceived twins, Esau and Jacob. God promised her that the older, Esau would serve the younger, Jacob, and it happened. She planned, and persevered, and it came to fruition. Jacob became the father of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Genesis 25:19-27, 27:1-29, 49:1-33.
Jochebed. Moses’s Mom. What faith. During the slaughtering of Hebrew boys, this mom’s prayer to God to save her son and place him in a basket to float away on the Nile River is nothing short of a miracle. She bore a son who would free the Jewish people from 400-year bondage and slavery in Egypt. Exodus 1:8-16, 2:3.
Hannah. Mother to Samuel the Prophet. Barren, she prayed and prayed so fervently to God to give her a child that her utterances could not be mouthed, it was so desperate. She promised the Lord that if she conceived a son, she would dedicate him back to God. Her son, Samuel went on to be a prominent prophet for two Kings, Saul and David. 1 Samuel 1:11, 21-38.
Bathsheba. King David’s Wife. Through the king’s adulterous affair and then the murder of this woman’s husband came the birth of the wisest man who ever lived, Solomon. Highly intelligent, this man became king and wrote several books of the Bible. 2 Samuel 11:1-5, 24-25, 1 Kings 11:42.
Elizabeth. Mother to John the Baptist. Barren and then conceiving at an older age, this woman believed in the Lord God to give her a child. This son would become the greatest prophet who ever lived. He paved the way for the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. And, he was also related to him too. How’s that for family connections – they were cousins. Luke 1:25, 39-45.
Mary. The Mother of Jesus. The son of the Holy God Almighty. She was a pure, God-loving woman. She bore God’s begotten son who would save the world from sin. She accepted her will and trusted in God. Luke 1:28, 38, 46-55.

There are more great mothers in the Bible, and I highly recommend you research yourself. What I found interesting about all these particular women is that they were imperfect just like every other mom out there. Me included. Motherhood doesn’t come with an instructional manual, either. However, they were God-fearing, faithful, and trusted the promises of our Lord God. They persevered through many challenges and tragedies, yet they carried on, holding onto hope.

My prayer for the remaining years of my life is to live with conviction, boldness, and faith like these precious moms of the Bible. I hope that one day, my daughters will also call me blessed!

A mother’s heart is often bruised and broken, plagued by fear, and worry. It’s true, a mom is always thinking about her children even when they are adults. So moms, continue to pour into your children. Don’t lose faith. Be prayerful and brave because our future generations depend on us!

I thank my mother for her resilience and drive to never give up hope, and be the strong connector in our family.

Happy Mother’s Day!

P.S. I found a great photo on some of the Biblical women I addressed above. Check it out!