10 Mothers to Honor this Mother's Day
Mother’s Day is just around the corner! While it does not show up on liturgical calendars like Christmas and Easter, this holiday is one of the most popular worship experiences for those who may be exploring faith. Some are drawn by the pressure to please the mothers in their life while others may attend with hopes of being celebrated as mothers themselves. Whether they come with hope or pain, in joy or in sadness, it is important for the church to understand who they are, why they come, and what Christ can do to meet them where they are.
We’ve put together a list of the types of mothers that your church should consider honoring this Mother’s Day. By honoring the various types of mothers, we can show the deep love of Christ that covers every experience and heals every pain.
1. Biological Mothers
“I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him.” 1 Samuel 1:27, NIV
We honor biological mothers because this is how God designed that each of us enter the world. Regardless of how the relationship with our mothers takes shape, we can use this Sunday to recognize women who have endured the traumatic yet miraculous reality of birth. We can appreciate their sacrifices, acknowledge their pain, and take time to thank them for instilling faith by whatever means they had. While we know that not all biological mothers are Christians, we can still celebrate the ways that God uses biological mothers to point us to Christ.
2. Adoptive Mothers
“God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.” Ephesians 1:5, NLT
It is easy to assume that adoptive mothers are included with biological mothers, but the process and intentionality of adoption is an honor of its own. Mothers who have chosen to adopt children have a special calling to care for other children as if they were their own. We honor the sacrifices that adoptive mothers have made and recognize how we, too, have been accepted into the family of faith through Jesus Christ. When we name them in worship services and in our methods of appreciation, we name the unconditional love of God that takes pleasure in our adoption as His sons and daughters.
3. Single Mothers
“[Hagar] gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: ‘You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me.’” Genesis 16:13, NIV
Single mothers are often looked down upon by others for raising children without fathers, either by circumstance or by choice. Such was the case for Hagar who was forced into single parenthood; a circumstance that she may not have chosen for herself. However, we have a wonderful opportunity to honor the faithfulness of single mothers by providing them with tangible support and affirmation on Mother’s Day. Churches that provide childcare or youth worship can encourage children to make notes to their mothers, which could be the only recognition that single mothers may receive.
4. Stepmothers
“But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” Ruth 1:16, NIV
Women who marry spouses with children can be honored and recognized on Mother’s Day as well. Like Ruth, they have chosen not only to love and unite with a spouse, but to also love and unite with their husband’s children as their own. We can celebrate their choices as a reminder of the choice believers have made to commit to Christ and to Christ-followers. While stepmothers will never replace biological mothers, we can honor their faithfulness to God in loving children that they did not bear.
5. Foster Mothers
“I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.” Ezekiel 22:30, NIV
Women who choose to be foster mothers should be recognized for their willingness to fill in the gaps. They are the ones who stand in the gaps, likely between a biological mother and an adopted one, but still choose to show up for children however they can. God uses people to show up in our lives at just the right times, often between where we’ve been and where we want to go. When churches honor foster mothers, they honor God’s timing and purpose, no matter how long these seasons may last.
6. Expectant Mothers
“So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, ‘Because I asked the Lord for him.’” 1 Samuel 1:20, NIV
It is important for churches to honor mothers who are expecting children, even before they give birth. This time of pregnancy is often filled with anxiety, especially for first-time mothers who don’t know what to expect. It can be especially challenging for women who have experienced miscarriage or know others who have. By recognizing expectant mothers, churches can honor God through every step of the process, knowing that every day of pregnancy is a gift from God.
7. Grieving Mothers
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Matthew 5:4, NIV
Mothers’ Day can be especially difficult for grieving mothers who have lost children. This most unnatural pain can permeate the lives of women, often keeping them from the communities that can encourage them most. When churches honor and recognize grieving mothers, they send the message that God sees and cares about their pain. The same is true for those who have lost mothers. While some may be prone to stay away from church because of their grief, churches that make room for grief can demonstrate the healing power of God’s love at every stage of life and loss.
8. Grandmothers
“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.” 2 Timothy 1: 5, NIV
For the first time in many decades, our churches are seeing mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers all at the same time. This intergeneration ministry is a gift to the church, allowing us to celebrate and honor each generation for its impact on another. This Mother’s Day, we can celebrate the prayers and faith of grandmothers and great-grandmothers that allowed each of us to be where we are today. Even if these relationships were wounded, our very lives testify to the power of God’s faithfulness across each generation.
9. Those Longing for Motherhood
“But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31, NIV
A category that is often overlooked on Mother’s Day is that of women who long for children. Much like grieving mothers, these women mourn the inability to conceive and may be longing for God to bless them with children of their own. Rather than prescribe solutions, churches can honor these women by commending them and their desires to the Lord. We can bless them with the gift of supporting prayer communities and connect them with resources to encourage them in the journey. Acknowledging women who long to be mothers can emphasize God’s compassion for every situation.
10. Church mothers
“After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases…These women were helping to support them out of their own means.” Luke 8:1-3, NIV
Some women are mothers of all who are in the church, regardless of whether they have children of their own. These church mothers are women of faith who shepherd, guide, and care for us as models in the church. Like the women who provided for Jesus and his disciples, they provide for us at their own expense, constantly making sure that the needs of others are met. When we honor these women, we remind them that God recognizes the sacrifices they’ve made, even when it seems like no one else does.
On Mother’s Day, we have an opportunity to honor the wide range of mothers within the church and to reach the wide range of people beyond our walls. You can use the tools within your reach to make a difference in the lives of men and women this May!