To Mother a Son...

It's hard to believe that three years ago I held my son for the first time. His little features captivated me from the moment I met him. He was an answered prayer - my rainbow baby. As I held him, I felt instant love and knew that it was only the beginning. I had no idea the story that would unfold over the next three years. 

When I was young, I wanted boys but then after I had my daughter I thought I would only have girls. Boys kinda freaked me out and I love being a “girl mom.” It's so fun and I thrive in that atmosphere. To be honest, I still don't feel like a “boy mom.”  But I do believe I am and was made to be my boy's mom. I don't necessarily love all the boy things but I am learning to because I love my boy. I love the adventures with him and the way he lights up in adventure. He's all boy but he's also all about his mama. The Lord has been so gracious (and funny at times) with the boy that He has blessed me with. Boys heal their mama hearts that were broken long ago. Today I am thankful I get to celebrate three years of being my boys mama. 

I wanted to open up my heart and prayer life to you all as I celebrate my son today to see some of the prayers I throw up for him. These aren't ritual prayers. I don't pray these words consistently everyday or all the time. These are just prayers that are on my heart that Holy Spirit brings to my mind to lift up as I take in this life as his mama. These are prayers thrown up as I snuggle him on the couch, rock him to bed or play with him as his imagination runs wild. 

Thank You for him. 

“Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭127‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Above all, I'm thankful God gave him to me. I tell my babies all the time that I am so glad God made me their mama. Yes, I am thankful He gave them to me but I am more thankful God gave me to them. I pray they always know that I see them as gift from God and that He could have chosen anyone to be their mama but He chose ME! I don't take that likely and I am so in tune to them - to him. I am so thankful that God chose this precious, wild and red-head boy to be mine! God didn't have to bless me with such a big smiling and loving boy, but He did! God gave me a boy that chooses me everytime and that healed this heart of mine. I am so thankful God knew I needed him. 

Thank You for his health. 

I am constantly reminded of the goodness of God when it comes to the health of my children. My heart goes to the mothers that walk through sickness with babies and my heart just breaks for them. 

Let him see You in me. 

“Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I fall short - daily. I try to show them Jesus but mostly, I pray that through my mess they see Jesus. My kids see every side of me and I just pray that they see attributes of God within. I cannot and will not be perfect. I haven't been a mom long and either way, I'm still learning. I'll always be learning. I need His grace to cover every bit of me. I need His power to shine through me - even when I'm doing “good.” 

Let him find his relationship, purpose and passion for You. 

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭22‬:‭6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Above all, I want my son to find the Lord. I want him to have a relationship with God because he chooses to. I am raising him up to know about the Lord but I pray that he truly KNOWS God himself. After he knows the Lord, I pray that he sees where the Lord is leading him. I pray he develops a passion and serves with everything in him! 

Let him find a woman that loves you first and loves him next. 

“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭4‬:‭9‬-‭12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

I think (most) Christian parents pray for their child's future spouse.  I pray she loves God so much that it overflows in the marriage they share. I pray that she is a Proverbs 31 woman and loves my son with her whole heart. I pray the Lord brings him a woman that is his help and encourager. I can't wait to see what God has in store for my son, his future wife and their generations to come. (Even as silly as it is to say with him being three!) 

Let his in-laws be wise in Christ and advocate for him. 

“So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said.”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭18‬:‭24‬ ‭ESV‬‬

I know this one sounds kinda silly to pray now but I believe so deeply in not only praying for my children's future spouse but also the family they will marry into. It's so important. Exodus18 is a passage that conveys this. Moses has just brought the Israelites out of captivity in Egypt and is the leader of Israel. He's overwhelmed. He's exhausted. He goes to his father-in-law and his father-in-laws pours wisdom into him. He reminds him that he doesn't have to do this alone. Life is hard and being a Godly man is heavy weight so I pray his in-laws can speak wisdom and encouragement to him. 

Thank You for this moment. 

“yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.”

‭‭James‬ ‭4‬:‭14‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Life is so easy to take for granted but I don't want to. I want to remember that each moment is a gift and flies by. I want to be so thankful for the mundane because we don't know what will happen next in this broken world but we do know that God has placed us in the present to focus on. 

I'm so thankful that this story will continue to unfold - that God allows me the honor of this sacred role as his mom. I have a front row seat to him! I get a front of what God is doing and will confuse to do in his life. If three years has been this good (with hard mixed in), I know that God has a powerful testimony for my son ahead.