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 3 boys ages: 11,8, and 4. Our house seems to be a whirlwind of activity. I teach preschool until 1:30. Then I babysit most days until about 4. My biggest struggle is that my kids and husband get my leftovers at the end of the day because I am just beat and exhausted from being needed all day long. I don’t have patience and I try to rush things along to get them in bed so I can have 5 minutes peace. I feel guilty and selfish and vow each night to do better the next day only to wind up with a repeat performance of the previous day.
I have two kids that are grown . Now they have kids. I would love to give my daughter in law this book. Everyone needs Bible based encouragement on raising kids. I wish I would have had more. I want my grand kids to grow up being prayed for by there parents and Bible resources too.
I have two grown sons, 24 and 26, two daughters, 11 and 6, and a 5 y.o. son. We have a mix of adopted and bio children which is a wonderful blessing. My biggest challenge always seems to be balancing all the “jobs” I do. Sometimes it seems like a lot to try to be mommy, teacher, wife, homemaker, chauffeur, etc. But I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
We are blessed with 2 boys (ages 23 and 20). There have been many challenges in parenting, especially in the last 5 years. I am so grateful for my husband. We have leaned on the Lord and pray for our boys in their career and mate choices. We also pray for them in their walk with Jesus.
I have three boys aged 6, 3, and 1 with a 4th baby due in February. My boys are fun, silly, active and love pretty much all things boy. :) I love the cuddles and hugs they still give me, but I am at the phase where I become very frustrated with the irrational actions and attitudes. The things that just don’t make sense really get me, and I know they should not. I need to be patient and calm in my correction, and I do better some days than others. It is my daily struggle.
Hi Karen! My daughter is a single mom of my two beautiful grandsons. Andrew, 5, and Shamus, 19 months. Most of their spiritual upbringing comes from myself and their other grandmother. I would bet the two of us would benefit greatly from these books. We spend a great deal of time with them! Thanks for the opportunity and the info on the books!
I am the mother of five beautiful children. My oldest is 22 and married with three step children and she just had a baby in February. My next is married and he and his wife are expecting within the next two weeks. My third just graduated this year and now has a job and will be venturing out on her own soon. My next one is is the eighth grade this year, loving to read history, go camping, and is learning about wood working. My baby is in the fifth grade this year and loves to help me cook and sew and just spend time together. I have home schooled for several years, and before that I volunteered at a private christian school at our church in order to pay the tuition and so I could be with my kids through their education. I love being with my kids…and now grandkids. I have raised my kids to love the Lord with all their hearts, and I feel there is no higher calling, as this is the next generation that will be going out into the world to reach the lost and minister to those in need. I LOVE being a mother and look forward to being involved in the lives and raising of my grandbabies, that they would also love God and serve Him all the days of their lives!
Being a stay-at-home mom can be so exhausting and rewarding all at the same time! Our girls are 17,14, and 12. The 14 year old is home schooled due to bullying and that’s been so challenging :(
I would love some fresh advise!
A mother to two beautiful boys, 3 years old and 15 months!! They both are very, very active and keep me on my toes. Being a wife, mother and having a full time job can be so demanding. I see my boys as blessings and am always thanking the Lord everyday for allowing me to be the mother to these boys here on earth. I also pray that I raise God fearing men and would definitely love to have one of these books!! :)
Could always use a fresh advice! Mother of 7 and 10 years olds. Yikes!
I am the mother of six kids, 12,11,6,5,3,3. I work full time.
My sweet husband and I have 2 boys Josh 19 and Kristian 16. We have faced many challenges along the road but thank the good Lord he has always carried us through. I love being a Mom but it by far the hardest thing I have ever done. Josh is a senior this year and I will be doing a “happy” dance when he graduates. He gets into everything, but thank the Lord he is finally settling down and he makes me proud to be his Mm. He has played sports ever since he was in kindergarten and this year he decided he didn’t want any part in them and it shocked us all. He is a hard worker and loves to ride his horse and is a volunteer fire fighter in our community. Kristian is an artist to say it lightly. He loves to draw and has designed 2 tshirts and drawed some pictures for a book that is coming out soon. I am very proud of him. He is very atheltic but bless his heart he has broke his collar bone 3 times in 6 months so he is unable to play his favorite sport right now. He is very big in the youth group at church. I stay so busy with my boys in there activites that I don’t know what I would do without all the activites. They are my world. My husband is a Pastor and so my boys have been carried from church to church most of there lives. This last church we took we didn’t make our boys go with us because they were so involved in the youth group at our home church and I hated to leave them but I had to do what was best for them. I would love to win a book because I love to read different devotions.
Mom to 1 six year old – effective discipline is my bugaboo!
My beloved husband and I have 5 children; 2 boys ages 16 and 11 and 3 girls ages 15, 10, and 8. We home school these delightful blessings and each is involved in 2 extracurricular groups, so we are busy people! We keep things pared down and simple at home for precisely that reason. No TV, gaming system, etc. A lot of family interaction, board games, reading…. I would love one of Sally’s books!
I have 7: 6boys and 1 girl. They are 16, 15, 14, 10, 8, 6, and 2. We have survived so many challenges and just staying together. My biggest struggle now is that I have grown away from the Lord and church and trying to find my way back. We were so overwhelmed by our challenges this last time that it pushed me away instead of drawing me near to the Lord. I think a big part was so much anger over what was going on. I would elaborate but who needs a novel. Essentially I am looking for ANYTHING that will help me stand up and keep going plus enable me to reconnect with our Lord and a church. (I still pray and listen to Christian music, just really struggling with having quiet time and going to church).
Thanks
Our children are 6,5,2 and 9 months. We also have 2 who have preceded us to Glory (one would be 3 1/2, and the other would be 1 1/2) We are hoping the Lord blesses us with many more, and we would love to adopt as well. This is our second year officially homeschooling. Any help with organization would be appreciated. :)
I’m the mother of 2 super smart kids. My daughter is 6 and my son is 4. I struggle constantly with motherhood. I worry that no matter what I do that in the end it will be the wrong choice and they will blame me for something later on. I also struggle with comparing myself to other moms (silly social media). I want to learn how to be a more Christ centered mom. Right now I feel so worldly.
I have three kids, two girls (ages 9 and 6) and one boy who is 3! God has blessed me so much with these great kiddos! I find myself struggling often with trying to be wife, mom, Sunday School teacher, friend, Youth volunteer, etc. all rolled into one, and be the servant that God needs for me to be within my family and church. I would love to read these books! Thanks for your ministry!!
My children are 5 and 3 years old. I feel that my greatest challenge is the fact that I try to work and parent (as most probably do!) and I just often feel like I can’t give 100% to either because of the other. Of course, my children are far more important to me than work, but I do have to provide for them, so….
I have a 5 yr old daughter who started kindergarten this year and a 2 yr old little boy…both are beautiful inside and out, full of heart and spirit and keep me on my toes!
These books have been on my radar for a while now but it seems there is never extra cash to indulge myself. I am a new stepmom, or bonus mom as they call me, to three wonderful boys ages 10, 12 and 13. I had not children of my own so these three are a blessing to me in so many ways!!!! I didn’t have to potty train them but I do have to train them up in the Lord. My prayer every day is that I could be a good role model to them and to show them Christ. Some days this is VERY hard but God is good and faithful to forgive.
Ages of my children 32 yo son with 6 yo daughter and 2 to son told to take the kids and leave a year ago and been living with us since. 29 year old son who is a PTA, attending college every other weekend for orthotics while working full time and married with a one yo and a three yo sons. Daughter who is 24 completing prosthetic certification at northwestern univ on Friday and then getting married in three weeks. A son who is 20 yo and a parmacy tech planning to go for his orthotics certification. My biggest challenge is juggling everyone’s schedule, being a wife and mother plus bring a grandma of 1,2, 3 and 6 yo with the 2 and 6 yo living with us. Trying to find balance. Sometimes life is an emotional roller coaster here: laughing crying craziness.
I have one precious boy, Conor, age 4. I am praying we might add another child, if the Lord wills. I am so challenged by how cyclical some of our issues are–I feel like a broken record sometimes…but, I would love to raise my boy the best way possible!
Carissa in eastern Iowa
I have three kids, which really sounds strange to say because two of them, boys, are adults at 24 1/2, and just shy of 22. The third is 12, going on about 25 or so. I’ll let you guess the gender. :) Fortunately for all concerned, the maturity is more a sense of sureness about herself, and not at all a cause for worry. At heart she (oops, I gave it away) is still very much her own age. When the boys were young, I was thankful for having grown up with a brother because I was already familiar with legos and hot wheels, frogs and snakes, and the other interests of boys. Now I am able to better share interests as she has taken up English riding, complete with jumping. While I didn’t ride as a child, I always loved horses, so now I get to live vicariously through her. As for my mothering, it’s always been pretty much more a matter of reacting to what’s thrown at me than responding. While it’s not easy, to be sure, I am trying hard to turn that around. All I can do is be thankful that God’s compassions are new each day, and His grace for me is never ending. My grace for myself, well, that’s a different story. But it is one the ending to which has yet to be written. While I often think it’s too late, I need to just as often, if not more, realize that it isn’t. After all, it isn’t over until it’s over, change is always possible, and since we are children of the God of second chances our story is all about rewrites and edits.
My children and my grandchildren are grown but I have two great granddaughters ages 6 and 7 months. These books sound wonderful and something that would be very valuable for them.