How many children do you have? I have 3 kids.
How old are your child(ren) OR how long have you been a mom? Ages 3, 4 & 5
Are you a mom of girls, boys, or both? 2 boys are my sons, and I keep my niece every day.
How has fierce faith driven you to intercede for, stand with, or fight against on behalf of you and or your family – in spite of what things looked like in the natural?
My husband and I have always shared a dream of owning a large family farm. The first time we discussed it was one of the few times that we hung out in the course of the two weeks that we’d known each other. I was a student at Claflin University and he had just graduated and stayed in the area for work. On one warm summer night, we snuck onto the tennis courts of South Carolina State University and lay on the hard concrete gazing at the stars. As we shared our aspirations, we realized that in many ways our life’s visions and purposes were aligned. I knew then that I would marry him.
After being married for seven years, we are still pursuing the Lord’s purpose for us to have a farm. We’ve come to realize that this dream is not just about us. It’s not only about wanting to live more self-sufficiently or about our love for nature but we are called to use this farm to glorify Him. We will use it to raise fatherless children, disciple those who are searching for spiritual guidance, and equip future leaders. By following the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we hope to teach the hidden lessons found in the beauty of creation.
This all has taken years of fierce faith. We’ve waited on the Lord to show us the property, submitted to His will in selling our home and living with family, and when things don’t seem like they’re working out we’ve refused to forget the perfect promises of God. This story is still being written and while I’m looking forward to the part where the farm is finally within our possession,
I’m also loving the preparation within the process.
How has God preserved you through the pressures of being a mom?
The most overwhelming feeling that I experienced after the excitement of discovering my first pregnancy was an uncanny anxiety. I allowed the lying whispers of the enemy to convince me that I was a failure at motherhood before even beginning. As if the pressure on my bladder wasn’t already enough, the immense pressure that came with those lies weighed heavier than the 9lb baby that I was about to push out. My fear stemmed from not having an example for the kind of mother I hoped to be. Raised by a single mother of six children with little support, the “mommy hurt” I’d harbored drove me to loathing that fact that someone would depend on me as “mommy” very soon.
I finally cried out to God about the overwhelming heaviness I was feeling. His loving, encouraging, and gentle words lifted every weight and replaced it with the promised garment of pure praise. In this sweet moment, I realized that I already had the example of the kind of mother I longed to be. Inside of my very being dwells the greatest parent of all, even though He is the Good Father, He knows every in and out of good motherhood. I opened my eyes to the reality that every little detail of my precious child’s body within me was not grown by my effort, but formed by God’s. It was God who was bringing my child into the world and God who would keep him.
The lesson I learned in that holy moment has stayed with me through every season of motherhood. I know beyond doubt that I am not alone in mothering my children. I have constantly sought the guidance of the Holy Spirit in my five years of parenting, there hasn’t been a time when He hasn’t answered me about my children. In the presence of God, we can confidently let go of every parenting pressure. God is always with us, eager to direct our paths in parenting, but we must acknowledge Him.
I pray that every overwhelmed, worried, condemned, or defeated mother reading this would reject the lies of the enemy and stand firm in God’s promise to be with us in all things! I pray that you would become aware of the fact that the God of the universe resides within you and that you would refuse to rely on your own strength any longer. Instead, may you allow the presence and power of God to parent your children through you!
How is society reshaping motherhood?
“Gentle Parenting” has gained popularity as a parenting method in recent years, with many mothers sharing their positive experiences with this approach. However, this trend has left some Christian mothers feeling torn. As a parent, I was initially drawn to the idea of “gentleness,” as it aligns with the imperative fruit of the Holy Spirit. I prayed for guidance on this parenting
style, which prioritizes the child’s feelings, avoids punishment as a disciplinary tool, and emphasizes mutual respect and healthy boundaries. I want to share the wisdom that I received from the Lord concerning this parenting style.
The gentle parenting style has many positive aspects that can benefit both parents and children. By prioritizing connection with our children, actively listening to them, responding to them with gentleness, and setting clear boundaries, the result can be a stronger parent-child relationship. However, if we teach our children to honor us according to how we have appealed to their
feelings, rather than because we are their loving authority, we will inadvertently raise individuals who struggle to pick up their crosses to follow the Ultimate Loving Authority.
I believe that some mothers are fearful because of misconceptions of “gentle parenting,” that argue that authoritative motherhood is psychologically harmful to children. However, long-term studies actually suggest the opposite. It is important to acknowledge that since the fall of humanity, there has been a societal trend towards removing authority and eldership. In his
letter to Timothy, Paul warns of lawlessness as a major issue in the last days. Therefore, we need loving authority, and cannot afford to let children make decisions based on their own feelings. We should not seek mutual honor where there should be humility and submission to loving authority. As Christian parents, we cannot raise our children in ways that prioritize the
flesh over the spirit.
The Lord’s thoughts are so much higher than ours. Error cannot be found in His perfect wisdom and no matter what arises in society, especially as it relates to parenting our children, we must be careful to ask ourselves John Berveres famous question, is this “Good or God?”
In the oftentimes unending demand of mothering, how do you keep Christ first?
I used to believe that keeping God as priority in my life was all about doing “something big” for Him.
Now that I am a wife and mother, I know that it is more about doing all the little things as unto Him. One day, I heard the Lord speak to me and ask, “If I were physically present in your home, how would you treat me?” I started to describe how I would shower Him with love and serve Him every moment of the day, but then He surprised me with His response: “Show me by the way you treat your husband.”
Before that moment, I wasn’t particularly happy with my husband, but I’d forgotten all about that and was compelled by a strong desire to serve him as the honored king of our home, just as I would if it were the Lord Himself. This mental shift has helped me prioritize Christ, as I learn to make every moment of my life about Him.
Whether I’m washing dishes, cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, or serving my family in any other way, I strive to do it as if I’m doing it for Him alone. This has resulted in a supernatural surge of energy within me. As I seek to live for Him, He strengthens me to live through Him. Nothing compares to the moments of intimacy with God at 5 AM, in the quiet, before my boys come storming into my bedroom with their adorable “good morning!” greetings. But the real joy is walking with Him throughout the day and sensing the sweetness of His presence in the mundane.
I am all the more grateful for the women (like Eliza) who have chosen to join me on this journey of transparency. I can’t thank you enough.
For the Moms is an annual written blog series which aims to ignite and connect Godly Women in various stages of Motherhood toward the revelation of their Divinely given assignment and their impact as the gatekeepers of the home.
The purpose and mission is to elevate Christ and conceptualize Godly character in Motherhood – and to reach down and pull up those Mothers who are just starting, who are understandably worn, or who have somehow lost their way.
Further, For the Moms is a movement that is calling to attention the warriors within us for the times in which we live. We will aim to unravel the mistakes and cycles of generations past. We will wage war for our families. And, we will diligently seek the Lord’s face concerning His will for our children, and who we are becoming through our Motherhood.
My prayer is that the women who lay eyes on the For the Moms Series, will be encouraged, emboldened, and all the more hopeful. I sure am.
For the Moms,
Hannah
The Marked Life Blog 