A BLESSING FOR MOTHER’S DAY
To those who gave birth this year to their first child—we celebrate with you.
To those who lost a child this year—we mourn with you.
To those who are in the trenches with little ones every day and wear the badge of food stains and exhaustion—we appreciate you.
To those who experienced loss through miscarriage, failed adoptions, or running away—we grieve with you.
To those who walk the hard path of infertility, fraught with pokes, prods, disappointment, and tears—we sit beside you. Forgive us when we say things, however well-intended, that add to your pain.
To those who are foster moms, mentor moms, stepmoms, and spiritual moms—your gifts and influence matter deeply. We need you.
To those who have warm and close relationships with your children—we celebrate with you.
To those who have disappointment, heartache, or distance with your children—we sit with you.
To those who lost their mothers this year—we grieve with you.
To those who experienced abuse, neglect, or pain at the hands of a parent—we acknowledge your experience and stand with you in seeking healing and hope.
To those who are single, longing for marriage or children—we recognize and mourn with you that life hasn’t turned out as you hoped.
To those parenting alone—whether by choice or circumstance—we admire your courage and strength.
To those who have opened your heart and home through adoption or fostering—you reflect love in powerful, sacrificial ways.
To those navigating the complexities of co-parenting—we honor your efforts and resilience.
To those who have lived through driving tests, medical tests, and the daily testing of motherhood—we are grateful for your perseverance.
To those who envisioned lavishing love on grandchildren—yet that dream has not come to be—we grieve with you.
To those adjusting to an empty nest, or the possibility of one soon—we join you in both grieving and rejoicing for new chapters.
To those who placed children up for adoption—we honor your selflessness and remember how you hold that child in your heart.
To those who are pregnant with new life, both expected and surprising—we anticipate with you.
To those parenting children with special needs and unique challenges—your love, dedication, and patience inspire us all.
To those who have rebuilt, blended, or chosen your families in creative and loving ways—your story enriches us.
To all mothers, mother-figures, and nurturers of every kind—through laughter, tears, worry, waiting, and wonder—we see you, we need you, and we thank you.
Mothering is not for the faint of heart. Today, we honor the real warriors in our midst.
We remember you. We reflect because of you. We love you.
This Mother’s Day, we walk with you.
SERMON
POINT: We don’t need a perfect past to make a meaningful difference in someone’s future.
POINT: Courage isn’t the absence of fear; it’s about loving enough to act even when you’re scared.
Luke 1:26-38 NIV
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
2 Timothy 1:3-5 NIV
I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.
POINT: Legacy isn’t built in a moment; it’s shaped one ordinary day at a time.
POINT: Love, not perfection, is the greatest gift anyone can give.
- Be present: Sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is show up.
- Love well: Encourage, support, stand up for what’s right, even when it’s hard.
- Let go of perfect: Bravery is not about never making mistakes—it’s about loving through the mess.
POINT: We cannot control the outcome, but we can control our next step.
POINT: We don’t need a perfect story to make a difference—just the courage to love, right where we are.
LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For yours is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.