Women of Influence, Especially Mothers
What a beautiful morning it was on May 4, as we celebrated Musical Morning in May and Kindergarten graduation, followed by a lovely reception to honor Miss Page, Miss Pat, and Miss Connie. Those events remind me of life’s bookends. Solomon reminds us in Ecclesiastes there is a season for everything, so I’ll embrace change.
Time and life’s seasons march on. In God’s providence, He allowed my path to cross Miss Pat’s and Miss Connie’s at The Heiskell School, followed by Miss Page at Redeemer. Each lady has blessed my life. Miss Pat, I knew as the 4-year-old teacher who danced on the tabletop in her classroom. True. Miss Connie taught both of my children in kindergarten. Later, I was introduced to Miss Page when I first watched her infamous potty-training video, passing it along to my adult daughter for helpful tips. These women are real, seasoned with life’s ebbs and flows of joy and heartache, transparent in their walk of faith, and battle-ready with heartfelt prayers and listening ears. Fun, funny and lovers of children; they are humble and wise. They are stand-outs in Christian education, but they would be quick to say how needy they are of Jesus’ ever-present grace, like a river floweth, equipping them at every phase and in every stage. My life is richer for having known them as sisters in the Lord, colleagues, and friends. They leave a mark of eternal value upon us, and their toil in the Lord has not been in vain.
And so, it goes - women impacting others and blessing children. Have you ever heard of Blanche Rudolph? I hadn’t either. But have you heard of Wilma Rudolph? I have. She was one of nineteen children born into poverty in Bethlehem, Tennessee. Her young life was marked by frailty, measles, mumps, scarlet fever, and worst of all, polio. The doctors told her mother, Blanche, that Wilma would never walk. Fast forward to 1960, when Wilma took the Rome Olympics by storm, winning three gold medals as a world-record-holding sprinter. When Wilma was asked about overcoming her hardships, she said, “My doctors told me I would never walk again. My mother told me I would. I believed my mother.”
Perhaps we don’t have a story like Wilma Rudolph’s; however, we all have stories about women who have made an impact on our lives – perhaps our own mother, our grandmother, a teacher, a child’s teacher, a close friend, an aunt, a sister. I have several and among them were the three ladies we honored on May 4. I am thankful to God for each one.
As school closes for the summer, I pray that God would give you confidence of your calling as a mom. Ask God to give you wisdom and strength for each day and for courage to do what’s right, not what’s easy. Teach your child to trust you as you trust the Lord. ‘Trust and Obey’ – the beautiful old hymn. Speak words of truth into their hearts and minds; read Scripture to them, chose conviction over convenience. Then, watch the Lord work in and through you to the glory of God, the Father. Just as Wilma did, may your child say, “I listened to the voice of my mother. I believed her.”
My prayer for you as we close this year: “Now may the God of peace equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in you that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen” (Hebrews 13:20-21).
