That Kind Of Mother

That Kind Of Mother
By Aqualyn Toi Jones
This week's topic: Mothers


I'm not supposed to be here. Well, at least not according to the doctor who told my mother that she would have problems conceiving. Obviously, and thankfully, God had other plans for both my mother and me.


If anyone deserved to have kids, in my humble opinion, it's my Mommy (yes, I still call her that as a grown woman). She is a lovely, intelligent, sweet and godly woman. She prayed, despite what the doctors said, for children. And she told God that she would give her children back to Him if He granted that request. Sounds very similar to a woman named Hannah in the first chapter of 1 Samuel.

Hannah's womb was closed. For years she lived in anguish because of her barrenness. In 1 Samuel, she made a vow to God. "...If You will remember me and not forget your maidservant, but will give your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life..."

Hannah made good on her vow. She literally gave her son to Eli, the priest. Samuel grew to become one of the great prophets and judges of Israel. I wonder if Hannah knew what her son would become. I wonder if Samuel knew the kind of mother he had.

W.E. Biederwolf once said, "Hannah wanted only a son, but God wanted more. He wanted a prophet and a ruler for His people. Precisely by those weeks and months and years, there came a woman with a vision like God's, with a gentle spirit and a seasoned will, prepared to be the kind of mother for the kind of man God knew the nation needed."

My mother spent years in prayer to be able to have children. And once we got here, the prayers didn't stop. They intensified. She's the kind of mother who raised us to love and fear the Lord. To trust Him. She's the kind of mother who taught us how to pray. She exemplified a grateful spirit and heart. She's the kind of woman who writes, "Thank You, Jesus" in her check book register every time she pays a bill.

I don't have children yet, but when that time comes I want to be like Hannah and my mother. Every good and perfect gift comes from above. Every blessing, relationship, opportunity and reward comes from God. It's only fitting that we offer back to Him the very things and lives that He has given us. Perhaps if we asked of Him from this perspective, we would see more of our prayers answered.

What destiny lies in your children? What sacrifices are you willing to make to ensure their salvation? What lengths would you go to for your child to fulfill his or her purpose? We need more Hannahs. More women who are prepared to be the kind of mother for the kind of children God knows the world needs.

Scripture Of The Day: "I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the LORD . For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD." - 1 Samuel 1:27-28 (NIV)


Toi Jones is a writer and an advocate for youth, underdogs, and all things (and people) that are broken and overlooked. Compassionate at her core, Toi is also an educator, a mentor, and a supporter of multiple initiatives for South Africa. For more information about Toi, log onto http://www.bewrite-livewrite.typepad.com.…