I am a wife and mother...now what?

I am blessed to have discovered God's plan for my life early on. Since I was a child I have always desired to be a wife and a mother. These descriptions don't fully characterize all of who I am but they can give you a general idea of what I was predestined to do in life.

What does it mean to be wife and mother based upon the Bible?

We are called to help our husbands (Gen 2:18) and our children (Titus 2:3-5; Deuteronomy 11:18-21; Proverbs 22:6 ) to fulfill the vision that God has for them and our family.

As a wife we are called by God to love, respect, and be faithful to our husbands (Ephesians 5:22,23; Titus 2:4,5).

As a wife and mother we are to model of godliness and do our best to meet the family’s needs (Titus 2:4,5; 1 Timothy 5:14; Proverbs 31:10-31).

We are to model purity in our dress, speech and behavior. We are to strive to possess a gentle and quiet spirit (1 Peter 3:1-7).

We are commanded to manage her homes (Proverbs 31:27; Titus 2:5). We should also strive to cultivate a joy of doing so, by visiting websites of other homemakers and growing from the experiences that they share.

We should do our best to speak with wisdom, and demonstrate prudence (Proverbs 12:4; 31:26,27).

This is not an all encompassing list of what it means to be a wife and mother. There are many more biblical commandments and principles available throughout scripture to help us to familiarize ourselves with God's idea of a wife and mother.

All of the answers can be obtained through communication with your own husband, prayer and reading of the Bible.

My Mission Field

The Old School Room 1895 

Courtesy of Photoanswers.co.uk

People often suggest that I become a teacher as a result of either watching me educate my children or hearing me talk of our experiences.

I am flattered by their vote of confidence since teaching would have been my first career choice, had I not subscribed to spending my life as a wife and mother.

When people suggest that I become a teacher, I reply "I am a teacher".

I understand what they are implying when they use the word "teacher". They are suggesting that I obtain a degree from an accrediated college or university that would allow me to teach in a state run educational facility.

The thought has crossed my mind on several occasions, that maybe my talents would be better utilized teaching more than just my own children.

That would be true if my sole mission were to educate their minds. The intellectual educating of my children is secondary to teaching them the wisdom of God.

By starting our days with Bible reading and prayer, I am teaching them our relationship with Christ is not only a priority, but our most important relationship.

I could never teach that in a state run school.

If any of the members of our family have an internal disagreement or a family crisis within or outside of our family unit, we first encourage one another using scripture. Secondly, we endeavor to help each other get through personal struggles by listening, guiding and steering each other back to God's word. We are teach our children how to cultivate peace, patience and dependency upon God. (Proverbs 6:20-23)

I could never teach that in a state run school.

My daughters and sons are learning the importance of modesty in their speech, dress and actions. They are learning the importance of  being humble rather than ostentatious. (Luke 14:7-11)

My daughters are learning to be women, wives and mothers. (Titus 2:3-5 & Proverbs 31:10-31) My sons are learning to be men, husbands and fathers. (Titus 1:6-8 & Proverbs 31:1-9) They are learning that differences between the responsibilities of a man and a women. They are accepting the responsibilities of their roles and learning to refine their skills as they mature.

This is my mission field. These are my students. I am their teacher. (Deuteronomy 11:18-20) I love what I do and I would not have it any other way. Teaching my children how to live lives that mirror the word of God, is my career. It is what I was made to do.

Teacher's deask in an old school room on the grounds of Henderson Hall just south of Williamstown, WV

Do I love other children? Yes. I love children, which is why my volunteer to work is with children. However, for this season of my life, I am called to the mission field of motherhood.