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Grace and beauty can fool you, but a woman who respects the Lord should be praised. Give her the reward she deserves. Praise her in public for what she has done.

- Proverbs 31:30, 31

This Sunday is Mother’s Day, a day we take to honor the moms and mother figures in our lives for all they do and all they are. It is a special day, and one we should stop and really think through. 

Moms are so crucial in the lives of children, showing them love, compassion, and care, and all the while, setting an example for them to follow, especially those who are Christ followers. Moms help shape the world for their children and give of themselves to make sure their children have what they need to become all that God intended them to become. 

In my life, I had my mother and grandmother who truly demonstrated to me a sacrificial and an all-encompassing love that I will not forget. They helped shape my life in so many ways, and I have told stories and written about them in the past. 

There is another woman who truly impacted my life in High School, our church Youth Director, Elois Weinhold. She took us on my first mission trip to inner city, Greenville, SC which opened my eyes to lives that were different than my own. That trip truly transformed me as we shared a neighborhood VBS at a local park and shared Christ with those kids. I am grateful that she took that risk to take a bunch of high school kids so far away from home to make it possible for them to see God at work.  

On Tuesdays, we had a breakfast Bible study before heading off to school which she would arrange and then share a devotional and prayer time. She was a steady and solid follower of Jesus – full of wisdom and the Spirit. She taught us so much. 

While I was in high school, our church experienced a split which caused many of our youth group to leave. There was only a handful of us left, but Elois kept things together for us. She would take us on Sunday mornings to share a worship service at a local retirement center, and she encouraged me to speak one or two times which scared me to death. (This was my first “preaching” experience that I can remember.) One summer, she hired me to help teach swimming lessons in her back yard pool. I still remember helping those kids do simple things like learning how to blow bubbles under water. It was a great opportunity to not only earn some money but to also see the way she acted as a Christ follower on a day-to-day basis. She poured her life into us, and she is part of who I am today and how I ended up in ministry myself. 

It is hard to put into words how God used her in so many lives. There are countless women all over the world doing the same thing, without fanfare or notice but with huge impact. They are truly heroes in the kingdom of Christ. 

At Bridges, we have multiple women who are “mother figures” and disciple makers who are truly making a difference in the lives of others for Christ. I am grateful for them all. They are impacting lives for all eternity. There is no way to truly know the impact they are making this side of heaven, but I know that God knows. 

So, we celebrate all the women who are moms, grandmoms, and mother figures this Mother’s Day. May the impact of your lives extend for many generations to come, and may you truly know how much you are all appreciated! 

Happy Mother’s Day!