Is Highlighting Several Moms – Are You One of These?

Birth moms, surrogate moms, spiritual moms – You might think these are uncommon, rare or even odd to celebrate this weekend of Mother's Day, but I think they deserve recognition too. Both of my children are adopted. I keep in touch with one of these sweet women. Unfortunately, the other chose a closed adoption. I also have a sweet friend who has been a birth mom twice. These are women with immeasurable courage, sacrificial and self-less love, and a desire to truly see the best for their babies. No one has the right to judge them because you have not walked in their shoes, and most likely you couldn't handle the sacrifice these ladies have had to endure. While they may not raise these babies, they are responsible for allowing them to breathe their first breaths. They allowed a baby the opportunity to have a future when so many other women take what they think will be the easy-way out. Saturday is Birth-Mom Day, so thank you, and Happy Mother's Day.

Surrogate Moms – I am not so naïve to think that everyone on the face of the planet had a great mom like mine. I've had friends whose moms missed the mark, but I saw where God was faithful and brought women into their lives to serve as their Surrogate Moms. Some women have grown up with their mom for one reason or another, and yet God provided that special lady at just the right time to give guidance, love and wisdom only a mom can give. Surrogate moms might also be those women who have taught us how to be better moms ourselves. Surrogate moms step in where the heart leads. Surrogate moms know that this person needs to be loved on and that he/she may hurt her, but she's willing to risk it. Happy Mother's Day, Surrogate moms.

Spiritual Moms – These are the women who are brought into our lives to help grow us up in our faith. They teach us to put our big girl panties on and focus on the things that will last. They show us how to work through the hard things in life that a godly woman can. They teach us how to exercise grace, mercy and class. I've been blessed with many – Mrs. Powell (my 6^th grade Sunday school teacher), Phyllis Copp, Teri Cupples (Can't remember her married name right now to save my life!), Linda Chapman, Julie Choate. These women invested time in me from sixth grade on up. They challenged me, corrected me and gave me examples of what a godly woman looks like, acts like and sounds like. Thank you.

I challenge you to look back in your life and see what godly woman God put in your life just when you needed her. Have you thanked her? This weekend is a great time to do it.