The Ministry & Mission of Motherhood {Giveaway from Sally Clarkson}
NOTE: The winners of our new Proverbs 31 devotional Encouragement for Today are:
Polly Scheider
Becky Wearich
Tori L.
Jenny Martin
Raelene
Congrats ladies! Please send you name and mailing address (along with what it is that you won) to my intern at [email protected]
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Are you a mom? Ever feel worn out and weary from plugging away at this often over-looked role in society?
My friend Sally Clarkson, author, speaker and homeschooling mentor, has been there. She is a wise and gentle friend whose words and prayers have helped so many moms keep a proper perspective while in the trenches of motherhood.
Sally is the mother of four children, a popular conference speaker, and the author of numerous books and articles on Christian motherhood and parenting, including The Mission of Motherhood, The Ministry of Motherhood, and Seasons of a Mother’s Heart. In 1994, she and Clay started Whole Heart Ministries to encourage and equip Christian parents to raise wholehearted Christian children. Since 1998, Sally has ministered to thousands of mothers through Mom Heart Conferences, and more recently through her blog, ITakeJoy.com (for Christian women).
Today, I am giving away a copy of each of her books below:
The Ministry of Motherhood
In a personal and devotional style, Sally addresses how a mother can spiritually shape and influence the precious hearts and lives entrusted to her care by looking to the life and ministry of Jesus. She examines the relationship between Jesus and his disciples, and suggests a plan for influencing children for Christ using the acrostic GIFTS: Grace, Inspiration, Faith, Training and Service. It is an uncomplicated yet strategic plan for passing on crucial gifts to your children. In the dailyness of providing for your children’s physical, emotional, and social needs, Sally helps you ensure that vital opportunities for spiritual nurture and training are not lost in the shuffle. Using biblical wisdom and practical teachings, Sally shows how you can make a lasting difference in your child’s life by following the pattern Christ set with his own disciples. The LifeGIFTS model will inspire and equip you to embrace the rewarding, desperately needed, and immeasurably valuable ministry of motherhood.
The Mission of Motherhood
In The Mission of Motherhood Sally explores the “big picture” biblical design of God for motherhood. It is a vision that transcends cultures and trends.
Drawing on challenging insights from Scripture enlightened by her own experiences as a mother for 18 years, Sally paints a biblical and very personal portrait of motherhood that reveals the heart of God for all mothers of all times. This book, filled with personal anecdotes and stories, will refresh your vision for biblical motherhood, renew your commitment to your precious children, and prayerfully bring the reviving Spirit of God into your home and family.
GIVEAWAY:
If you’d like to be entered in the drawing to win a copy of either of Sally’s encouraging books, leave a comment telling us about your mothering. What are your kids ages? Their interests? Your current greatest mothering challenge. Any “mom talk” you’d like.
Go ahead, comment away :)
I have been a mom (for 35 wonderful years), stepmom, and am now experiencing the joy of
being a grandmother! I think being a moms the most important job
a woman will ever have. I had great fulfillment as a stay-at-home mom
and pray my own daughter gets to experience being at home more than
being at work. I plan to give her the book if I am chosen.
My kids are 3 years & 9 months. We’re in the baby & toddler phase. It’s tiring, but fun. They are learning to be kind and share. Would love to learn about how motherehood is a ministry!
My little one just turned 1! Being the planner I am, I’m of course already thinking of my ministry with him and my husband and I pray every night for his early salvation :) I’d say my biggest challenge is keeping calm when the whining or crying starts – I work from home so I have to keep a professional tone when I’m on the phone with customers and a baby crying in the background is anything but. I find I got so spoiled by him being a perfectly content and never crying baby that those few times he is not feeling good (right now it’s teething) & he gets fussy, I get frustrated. It’s embarrassing to admit that, but I’m just being totally honest.
As a single mom to two very intelligent busy boys ages 7 and 4, I think one of my greatest challenges is to find a sounding board. Sometimes I just talk and really don’t have anyone to bounce things off of and to reflect difficult issues with. I think I rely on my relationship with God a lot for that. I also think the heaviness of the exhaustion of finding work, stress, dsiciplining and teaching all the time sometimes joy sapping. So I am continuing on trying to see the joy in the pain before opening my mouth- on praying before allowing frustration to speak
I have one amazing 15 year old son, Jammari. My biggest parenting challenge is getting past the fact that I didn’t have my own relationship with Jesus until a few years ago. So since he was raised most of his life not knowing the Lord how do I introduce all of these wonderful things I am learning and experiencing in a way that is real to him and not me cramming it down his throught. How do I encourage him to have his own relationship with Jesus and not something that just derives from me. That is my one true parenting regret not instroducing him to Jesus as a baby so it would be natural to him. All of my friends are just starting to have children or grew up in church so I don’t really have anyone who can relate.
2,4 and 6. I’m a single mother who works nights and homeschools. Biggest challenge is probably staying patient while sleep deprived.
My kids are 5 and almost 2. I work as a special education aide which has It’s benefits and downfalls. I love being home with my kids all summer but find that the stress from work sometimes wears on me and leaves very little patience for my family at the end of the day. Lately our biggest struggle with the little one is taking him not to hit and kick. One of the kids at daycare does this and he’s picking up on it. We are also trying to reach our oldest that everything she does, her little brother will also do. It’s a slow process and very hard for her to remember.
We have 4 boys, ages 10, 8, 23 months, and 5 months. The older two enjoy anything to do with sports or science. It’s been challenging trying to help my older two as they grow up and mature at the same time as having two small ones. My 5 month old has had rough nights since birth – so after 5 months of sleep deprivation, it gets exhausting trying to care for him, an almost 2 year old and help guide the 2 older ones as they mature physically, emotionally and spiritually. I love the things each one of them teaches me though and through the joys and struggles, pointing each other to Christ!
I have a four year old daughter and an almost 11-month old son. I try to capture each teachable moment but I often fear I miss the mark or don’t give the best explanation. My daughter loves AWANA Cubbies and learns memory verses there that we reinforce at home, but I’m looking for all the help I can get while I have these two precious young moldable minds!
thank you for toppy to enter — 4 kids, ranging from 13 – 17 — all teenagers – w’ere in the thick of it and slogging through day by day – could use inspiration !!! and perspective & practical tools!!
My two boys are ages 9 and 4. I am a homeschooling mama going on our second year. Thanks for the opportunity to win!!
There are some days you just feel like you need a hand to pull you up. And an ear so someone will listen to you!!!
Never heard of these books but love all the blogs and books Proverbs 31 Ministries promote!!! God bleats you in what you are doing!!!
I am a mom of 2 CRAZY boys :) AJ is 10 and Alijah is 3. My current challenges: Alijah (my 3 yr old) has the MOST stubborn and strongest will! He has been a very hard baby and toddler for me. I feel like i am failing as a mom because he is so hard.
AJ (my 10 year old) is nearing adolescents and i am soooo not ready for it. We are dealing alot with integrity, respect and attitude. I love my boys, but oh how i wish parenting was easier!
I don’t know what my greatest mothering challenge is because at this point I am 5 months pregnant with our first child, a precious boy that God is blessing us with! : ) These books seem like great tools to prepare me for whatever is in our future.
I have four children ranging from newborn to almost teen. They all have very different personalities and temperaments, though we blend together well as a family. My greatest challenges are finding time to devote to the important things for our home and each member in it amid all the busyness of even good things we do and desire, figuring out how to organizing the chaos of so many people and activities while not having that as a model in my upbringing, and continually trying to teach to their hearts as circumstances and ages and stages of life progress. THANK YOU for your ministry and for offering an opportunity to win one of your books. :)
What a wonderful title for a book, The Mission of Motherhood. However, for some moms, the mission of motherhood continues even when grown children leave the nest. Just like thousands of mothers who have adult children, my husband and I are raising a granddaughter. Our red headed girl is now 11 years old. My mission of motherhood is to be sure the child God has placed in my care grows to love Him and cherish Christian values in her life. My precious girl is in the 5th grade. She loves karate, enjoys playing dress up, and especially loves Sunday School. She also enjoys adorning her long mahogany red hair with clips, beads, and braids. Through all her daily endeavors, I trust her life and and spiritual growth to God. This makes my mission of motherhood a delight.
My favorite job in the world is being a mom!! It’s all I ever wanted to do! Yes it is crazy and hectic sometimes but that’s life with anything, isn’t it? I love making breakfasts, packing lunches, running kids around, watching sporting events, and just spending time together watching movies, etc … Thankful every day that I am a MOM!!
I have three boys and we are on a path to possibly have a fourth if it is God’s will. One of my struggles is remembering that home is a church too. We constantly work on educational items daily, but I feel like I am not teaching them enough about their faith and about God’s love. I also am trying to make personal changes in my own heart and actions to provide an example to them of a Godly woman and what it means to be a servant of God. I have a new found determination to accept my blessing as a Mother to serve as the core example to my children of what it means to Love and Serve the Lord. I want to plant the seed for God and help my children Reap the benefits of the Lord’s blessings. God has opened many doors for me lately and I know in my heart that it is only going to get better.
I’m the homeschooling mom of sons ages 15, and 12 1/2, and a daughter age 9 1/2. I’m finding it very challenging to not have any other moms of teens in our church family to go to for encouragement and advice. Thankful for good books, a husband who is a terrific dad to our kids, a Christ-centered church that ministers to the hearts of all my kids, and friends afar who are in the same season of life.
boys 9 and 6, daughter about to be 4. the hardest thing is keeping up! just when i had one stage sort of figured out, they grew up and i was finding my footing all over again.
my children are ages 5, 4, 2 and 7 months and I’m a stay at home, first year homeschooling mom.
what a wonderful calling to help other moms navigate the spiritual lives of our children. God knows I could use encouragement, especially this morning…
Pick me, Pick me! haha I’d love to read this books. I’ve been looking for them, but can only find on Amazon so far. I’d like to use my 30% coupon for Family Christian Bookstore, but the books aren’t available through them. Why not?!
I have a 7 year old daughter in second grade and 3 1/2 year old twin boys who just started preschool this year. My biggest struggle is getting ANYTHING acomplished!!!
I had my first kiddo when I was only 21. She is 9 years old now, going on 30. I think she mothers me sometimes more than I mother her. After divorce and another marriage to a wonderful guy, I had a little boy. He is the mirror image of his father and just as onery too. :-) But it was like being a new mom all over again. 8 years is a long time and things have changed from when my daughter was little. It was life changing too and there was a lot of drama with my daughter. But she loves her little brother and wouldn’t trade him for the worlD. i love my children and being a mom even if it is sometimes the most exhausting work in the world.
Being an organizer, a minimalist and a Christian, I have been trying to take a very simplistic and biblical approach to parenting. So far it seems to be working well with my son, but then again he isn’t even two yet! LOL. My greatest challenge right now isn’t even my son! It’s getting others to understand the way that my husband and I have chosen to raise him. People don’t seem to understand that our son is thriving with less toys, TV, etc.